Circle of Destiny
by Divine Enchantment
Summary: Seventh Year: During the search for the remaining Horcruxes, Hermione realises that the choices she makes have a serious effect on the destiny of those she cares about. Continues from HBP. HHr. [Chapter 21 added on 20 March]
1. Chapter 1: A Rude Awakening

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all associated copyrighted ideas are used without permission and are the sole property of J.K. Rowling and her associates. I have made no profit from the writing of this story, nor was it written for the purpose of doing so. It is purely for enjoyment and the chance to lose myself in the wonderful world created by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 1**

**A Rude Awakening**

"Harry! NO!"

Hermione's voice tore through the air, as her eyes followed the body of Harry Potter as it fell lifeless to the ground. She ran in the direction that he lay, no longer concerned for anything but getting to his side. Everything around her turned into a blur, the shouts and motions of those around her lost in this task that she had to perform.

She tripped, her knees bashing hard onto the ground, sending searing pain rushing up her legs. Her hands scratched across the rough floor, tiny cuts seeping with her blood. But none of this mattered, nothing mattered but getting to Harry. She rose from the floor, scrambling over what had caused her to fall, caring not for what or who it was.

The ground around her was littered with bodies, some familiar faces that she had known, others people she would never learn the identity of. The maze they formed to her friend hampered her progress, but still she rushed on, managing to dodge not only the obstacles below her feet, but also those that flashed around her as the battle continued.

Finally, she reached his body. A look at his face told her it was too late. She felt a tear roll down her cheek, as she lifted his head, and cradled it in her lap, her fingers lightly brushing over his cheek, before moving up to straighten his glasses. Nothing else mattered, everything was over. They had lost, and He-who-must-not-be-named had won.

"I never got to tell you…"

The sound of laughter filled her ears. Looking up from the face of her dead friend, her gaze fell on the eyes of the man who had taken his life. He walked calmly towards her, his eyes blazing with his success. All around them darkness grew, almost as if life had been sucked out of everything, as it gave in to the Dark Lord.

Her wand in hand, she raised it quickly, but not quick enough. Suddenly a burst of pain shot through her body, pushing her back against the ground, her head slamming hard. The darkness seemed to spread rapidly, the night drawing in fast, a night that she would never again wake from. Her eyes began to close as the pain grew, finally sending her into total darkness…

>>>> 

"No!"

Hermione sat up in bed, a bead of sweat running down her forehead, as the familiar sight of her dorm came into focus. She shivered uncontrollably, her body felt as if it still had Death's hand wrapped around it. She had had bad dreams before, but this…this one was different. For a moment, before her eyes had shot open, she felt like she had really…died? She breathed in deep, trying to calm her racing heart, her hand moving to her chest as if to check that she was still alive.

Thoughts flooded her mind, as she begun running over the dream trying to analyse it, but other than the end, the rest seemed to be nothing but a blur. The scene that swam past her eyes caused her to tremble with fear. She did not want to close her eyes again, did not want to re-enter that dream. It felt too real.

Pushing back the covers, she climbed out of the bed. The room was silent save for the usual nightly creaks of the building. She looked about her, the others still sleeping peacefully, the gentle rise and fall of their covers showing them to have been undisturbed by her cry.

Darkness filled the room, bringing back the last part of her dream. She wrapped her arms around her, as she searched for her dressing gown. Grabbing it and her wand, she headed down to the common room, where she could cast a bit of light and lay the night's demons to rest. It was still early in the morning, and the room would be empty. And despite her need to be with Harry and Ron, to hear their comforting voices, and to know that they were still alive, she also wanted time on her own to compose herself. The dream had affected her more than she cared to admit.

Sitting in one of the chairs by the fire, she pulled out her wand and increased the warmth it was emitting, its orange glow bringing some light. She sat for a moment, watching as the flames flickered, performing their dance to a secret tune that only they could hear. Beginning to relax, she let her eyes move around the room, feeling the comfortable familiar setting cleanse her mind.

Yet she could still see his face, his eyes closed as she cradled him in her arms. His body lifeless and devoid of the life that made him Harry, the boy she had grown up with for the past six years. The thought of him being gone made her heart sink heavily. Losing friends was never easy.

So lost in her thoughts, she did not hear the footsteps on the stairs to the boys' dorm, nor did she noticed the soft patter as the footfalls made their way over to where she sat.

"Hermione?"

She looked up from her reverie, gasping as her eyes fell on his face. Not dead and lifeless as she had seen only moments before but alive and standing there before her. "Harry!" She rose from the chair and threw her arms around him, her smile growing as the images of his death finally left her mind completely.

"Hermione?" Harry sounded even more puzzled, as he felt her loosen her arms from around his neck and take a step back, a faint darkening of her cheeks barely visible in the low light.

"Harry, I…" Hermione smiled weakly and stepped a little further away, leaving the real explanation hanging in the air. She could not tell him that she had become worked up over a dream, especially one in which she too had died. If she was alive, he had had to have been too. "I couldn't sleep." She quickly amended, before turning on him with a questioning glance. "What are you doing awake?"

Harry moved over and slumped down in the chair opposite to the one that Hermione had recently unoccupied. "I couldn't sleep either." He frowned slightly, and despite his words, he tried to stifle a yawn. "It doesn't feel the same here anymore." He watched as she moved to her seat and perched on the edge, leaning forward towards him.

"We can't expect things to stay the same, Harry, not with Dumbledore's…" She paused, unable to say the word. She could feel the difference, the emptiness. Hogwarts felt as if it had lost its heart. He had been as much a part of the school as the building itself had. He had been ingrained in their life and now there was a part missing, a part that could never be replaced.

Harry let out a sigh. "What are we going to do without him? He knew what had to be done. He knew everything." He looked down at his hands, which were clutching at each other. "How can I do this without help? I don't even know where to start."

"We are here for you." Hermione took his hand in hers, as if reminding him of their bond, her eyes flashing with surprise as he snatched his hand back. "Harry?"

Harry rose from the chair. "I don't want anyone's help. I've lost too many already who have tried." He turned his back on her, and gazed into the fire. His body was rigid, and his breathing was hard as he tried to control his temper. "I can't lose anyone else." He whispered.

Remaining where she was for a moment, Hermione just watched him, unsure what to do or say. There was so much going around her head, so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted to do. Hermione and Ron had always been there for him, and it pained her to hear him tell her that he did not want them there for him. She could understand his reasons, but that did not make her feel any better.

She got out of her chair, and moved towards him. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she felt him tremble at her touch, the motion making her feel sad. She removed it, and let her arm hang loosely by her side. "We will always be here, Harry, whether you want us or not. We care about you too much to let you face this on your own." She paused for a moment, and listened to the crackling of the fire, as if she expected it somehow to tell her what to do.

"We should try to get some sleep," she finally said, breaking the silence.

"You go. I know I won't be able to sleep." He turned and faced her, a weary smile on his face, his expression heavy.

Hermione gave him that stubborn look she had. "If you aren't going, I'm not even going to try." She frowned as the thought of revisiting her nightmare came to mind. "We might as well make the most of the time and start researching the possible location of the other Horcruxes."

Returning to his chair, Harry looked at Hermione. "You really don't need to stay with me. I'm not going to do anything foolish, you know?" He gave her a grin, his eyes telling her how grateful he was for her company despite his words. "Where should we start?"

"That's easy…at the beginning." She gave him a grin, and pulled out her wand silently thought the word 'Accio', as she pointed her wand at a pile of books on the table, watching as the top two moved over to their waiting hands.

>>>> 

Sunlight streamed into the common room, dawn finally pushing away the last traces of the night. The room began to fill with others, as they moved around, completing little chores before they headed off to the Great Hall for the first meal of the day. Several gave the sleeping pair in the chairs a brief glance, before sniggering to themselves and going about their business.

"Harry? Hermione?"

A familiar voice broke through her sleep, pulling her out of her dream, one that has been much more pleasant than the previous one she had had. She blinked sleepily as she brought her gaze to focus on a red haired boy. Stretching her body, almost dropping the book that rested on her lap on the floor, she looked about her, spotting the fingers of sunlight that crept across the room.

"What time is it?" Hermione asked sleepily, as she sat up and glanced at the page the book was open to, memorising it before closing it shut with an audible bang. Her gaze fell upon Harry, who rubbed his eyes sleepily and replaced his glasses, having also fallen asleep.

Ron grinned, despite his puzzlement at seeing his friends sitting in their night clothes, with old tomes resting in their laps, while fast asleep. "Breakfast time." He grabbed the books from them and headed off towards the table. "You two had better hurry if you don't want to miss it. I'll meet you down there."

Waiting for the two to mutter some replies, he disappeared through the hole, joining the end of the group of Gryffindors as they all headed off to break their fast, their chattering dying to a low mumble as they got further and further away.

Harry clutched his stomach, as he felt it grumble, which caused Hermione to smile at the sound. "I think Ron was right. We had better hurry." He looked at the young woman before him and grinned. As he walked away, he turned to her, his eyes full of gratitude. "Thank you for last night, Hermione."

Shrugging her shoulders, Hermione smiled. "It was nothing. I enjoyed the company. It kept away the night…" She stopped suddenly.

Harry looked at her and frowned. "Why didn't you say you had a nightmare, last night?"

"It was nothing, just a bad dream." Hermione smiled, trying to make light of the matter. "I'll tell you about it after breakfast." Turning, she headed towards the girl's dorm, listening as Harry made his way to the boys. She stopped and watched him disappear up the stairs, before berating herself for letting slip about her dream.

>>>> 

Ron was already tucking into his second plateful of sausages and egg when Harry and Hermione made their way to the Gryffindor table. Despite Hogwarts reopening, the attendance levels had fallen, as parents decided to keep their children at home where they could protect them. The death of Dumbledore had caused a ripple of fear amongst the wizarding community, but there were those that still felt that Hogwarts was a safe place.

Professor McGonagall, now the Headmistress of the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sat in the seat that had for all Hermione's time at Hogwarts belonged to Dumbledore. As she entered the Great Hall, Hermione still expected to see the white haired wizard commanding his glance across the students below. At the end of the table sat Hagrid, his features showing his misery at the death of the Professor who had given him his chance at the school.

Hermione glanced over to where he sat, willing him to look over to them, but he remained with his head bowed over a plateful of food that he appeared to be playing absentmindedly with, pushing a sausage from one side of his plate to the other, and then back again.

She turned to Harry and Ron, sighing loudly. "Hagrid looks terrible." Her brow creased as she pondered what they could do. "We must try to cheer him up."

Looking up at the main table, Ron nodded his head. "Losing Dumbledore and Aragog has hit him really hard." He forked a piece of sausage, and lifted it to his mouth. "I don't know how we can help him though. We have enough problems trying to locate the Hor…"

"Ron!" Hermione cut him off, and then lowered her voice to almost a whisper. "We cannot speak of that here." She glared at him, as if with her eyes alone she could punish him for his near slip.

The red haired boy's face almost turned the colour of his hair. "I'm sorry, Harry." He mumbled before silencing himself with a piece of sausage that he chewed thoughtfully.

"Hermione's right, we really do need to do something for Hagrid. He's always been good to us." Harry frowned, as he too struggled to think of something suitable. "I'm sure we'll come up with something." He began to fill his plate with the food items around him.

Turning her face once more in Hagrid's direction, Hermione sighed again as she watched him rise from the table, and without once looking up, headed out of the Great Hall. She saw that Professor McGonagall was giving him a similar glance as her eyes also followed him out of the hall, before she seemed to turn and look directly at Hermione before returning her attention to her food.

Hermione's gaze remained lingering on the head table. She could still recall their first meal here the day the school had reopened. Expectant faces those old and new alike stepping through the huge doors, just like they did every year, but this time it had been different. Now everything was different. Every day there was a new report of a murder as the Death Eaters and He-who-must-not-be-named continued to work their way though the wizarding world.

Known and unknown were dying, and despite the Ministry of Magic's best attempts they were not making any progress in finding and capturing the Dark Lord. Rufus Scrimgeour was releasing information of those that had been caught and sent to Azkaban. But whatever they seemed to do, it was not enough to calm the wizarding community, which seemed to be slowly disappearing as they began to go into hiding.

The Sorting Hat had been brought out, and still it sang its song, but it was not filled with the hope of the world. It had been melancholy, as if it too was beginning to see the end of Hogwarts or perhaps even the world as they knew it.

'_A time for those that returned to see_

_Those brave at heart that stood their ground_

_Not giving in to hate and fear_

_A unity in the world still found_

_Together in darkness that knows no bounds_

_Gathered here to be as one_

_Side by side, hand in hand_

_Father's daughter, Mother's son…'_

The rest had continued in the usual vain of describing each of the houses, and finally picking where each of the newcomers would be going, the ceremony shorter than normal as fewer first years arrived for the new school year. Professor McGonagall had stood then and welcomed everyone to the school, whether they be old or new, and informed them in no uncertain terms that there would be no setting foot outside the school grounds, and that all trips to Hogsmeade had been cancelled until further notice, which had been greeted half-heartedly with groans from the students.

Looking about her now, Hermione picked out the empty spaces, the most prominent was that of Draco Malfoy. His two goons, Crabbe and Goyle seemed totally lost without their leader. For the briefest moment, Hermione felt sorry for them, so down they looked, but that only lasted for a moment.

Her thoughts once more turned to Malfoy. She recalled the previous year, and Harry's insistence that he was up to no good. She and Ron had dismissed these accusations against him, as had everyone else he had told, but he had been telling the truth, and despite not being the one responsible for the Headmasters death, his second had taken up the wand and had killed the frail wizard. Still there was no news of either Snape or Draco.

"So, are you going to tell us about your dream, Hermione?" Ron's voice broke through her thoughts.

She glared at Harry, her eyes blazing as she realised that he had told Ron. "Why did you mention it to Ron?"

Harry looked at her for a moment and shrugged. "I didn't realise it was a secret."

Hermione sighed and shook her head. "I'll tell you later, I have to rush to class." She gave them both an exasperated look, and rose from the bench. "I'll see you back in the common room after class."

As she walked towards the door, she heard the quick steps of someone approaching her. Clearing the door of the Great Hall, she heard a voice calling out her name. She turned and came face to face with Ginny Weasley, who was looking at her questioningly.

"How's Harry?" The younger girl asked.

Hermione looked at Ginny for a moment and shrugged. "It's hard to tell. You know Harry." She smiled encouragingly. "I think he's having a really bad time at the moment. Dumbledore's…" She stopped leaving the sentence hanging. "And losing Sirius too. He's taking it badly."

Ginny nodded. "Yeah."

Pointing off in the vague direction she was heading, she frowned slightly, not wanting to push the girl away, but at the same time. "I've got a class now. We'll talk later, okay?"

Ginny nodded, and with her feet firmly rooted in place, she watched as Hermione wandered off to class.

Hermione looked back at Ron's sister, really not needing some other problem to deal with. Her mind was already in a whirl with her dream, Harry and everything else that seemed suddenly important. She headed to her Arithmancy class, hoping that the lesson would clear her mind.


	2. Chapter 2: Dark Arts and Death's Head

**Chapter 2**

**Dark Arts and Death's Head**

Sitting in the Arithmancy class, Hermione let her mind wander, which was strange for her as she tended to remain focused on her lessons, but try as she might she could not keep her mind fixed on the subject at hand. Over and over in her mind she could see the image of Harry being struck down by the Dark Lord, replaying the scene right up until she too had been hit with the death curse. She shuddered as she recalled exactly how it had felt to have her life drained from her body, the blackness that followed.

_Pull yourself together. It was just a dream. It was just a nasty dream. _She thought to herself as she pulled her attention back to the class, just in time for her to hear Professor Vector declare the lesson over, and informing the class what homework they had to complete for their next lesson. The look the professor gave Hermione was questioning. The young woman felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Making her way back to the Gryffindor House, Hermione managed to keep her head clear, free from all thoughts, other than the Arithmancy homework. Before she knew where she was, the portrait of the Fat Lady was in front of her, waiting for her to intone the correct password to gain entrance to the common room, where she knew her friends would be waiting for her.

Before she was able to open her mouth, a group of first years rushed passed her, brushing her cloak into a billow, their actions causing the portrait to give them a very unkind stare.

"Where are your manners?" The pink dressed woman grumbled.

"Cherry Pancake!" A young boy cried out, wanting to get inside.

The Fat Lady mumbled a few words, but finally relented to let them through once several of the first years began calling out the password in a kind of chant. The portrait rolled her eyes in exasperation and revealed the hole to the common room. As Hermione passed through, she could have sworn she heard the Fat Lady grumbling about 'this kind of behaviour never happened when Dumbledore was alive'.

Frowning, Hermione continued through the hole, and entered the common room, the first years milling around almost obstructing her way. Sitting by the fire, she saw Harry and Ron, their faces revealing that they were in a serious conversation. So engrossed in their chat, they failed to look up at her approach.

"So what were you and Hermione doing last night?" Ron's voice did not sound at all happy.

Harry sighed. "I told you, Ron. I couldn't sleep and she couldn't sleep following a nightmare." His voice sounded exasperated, as if he was not repeating this story for the first time. "We just talked and then did some research…"

"And you fell asleep in the chair," Ron interrupted, cutting Harry off mid-sentence. "But why did she tell you about it and not me?"

Shaking his head, Harry slumped back in the seat. "Because you were asleep, Ron, and she never told me about it. But next time Hermione has a nightmare that keeps her awake, I'll make sure to call you." He moved to rise from his seat, his movements causing both to look round, spotting Hermione, who was glaring at them both, particularly Ron.

There was no secret that they had grown close over the summer, had spent a little time together, but they could not leave Harry to his own devices, so they had snatched moments here and there. They were fond of each other, there was no getting away from that, but they still seemed to fall out over the silliest little thing. The summer had not been full of roses like she had imagined it would be. There had been little of the kissing and snogging like he had shared with Lavender, during their relationship.

Hermione knew that if something was worth keeping then it was worth working for, but since returning to Hogwarts, things had almost returned to normal.

"What are you two doing?" Hermione flicked her gaze between them, before perching herself on the arm of Ron's chair. She could tell from their open books that they had begun to do some homework, but they did not appear to have gotten far.

Harry shrugged. "We were…ah…just reading the next chapter for Dark Arts. The new Professor is supposed to be there today."

The post had once again been filled, another new teacher. Hermione was surprised with all the different people who had covered the role over the last six years that the three of them had passed their OWLs. She was sure that it would be a little more difficult passing their NEWTs, especially after what had happened last year.

"I'll leave you to it." Hermione smiled and slipped off the chair, only to feel a hand clasp her wrist, stopping her from moving further than a few steps away.

Ron looked up at her. "I thought you were going to tell us about this dream you had." He released her arm, the glare she gave him enough to wither roses.

Sitting forward in his seat, Harry suddenly seemed to no longer want to leave. "The sooner you tell us, the sooner we stop asking about it." He gave her an encouraging smile.

Hermione released a long sigh, as if she had repeated the story more times than enough, and to herself she had. Suddenly the thought of having to put into words what she had seen scared her. The idea of looking into Harry's face and telling him that she had dreamed he had died seemed wrong, especially following all that had happened to him, but she knew he was telling the truth. Neither boy had ever seen her kept awake by a nightmare before, normally she just brushed them aside. This one refused to be ignored.

Moving her eyes, between her two friends, she gave them a weary smile. "I don't remember it all, just the end really." She paused as once more the scene flashed before her eyes. "You, Harry, were fighting…You Know, and the rest of us were all in little fights of our own."

"Who was I fighting?" Ron raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know, I can't even remember who I was fighting, I just know that Harry was in a battle with him." Her gaze rested on Harry for a minute, her eyes reflecting sadness.

"Then what happened?" The impatient voice of Ron once more cut into the story.

Harry frowned. "I think I know." His voice sounded dejected to Hermione's ears. "We didn't win, did we?"

Once again, Hermione looked at him and slowly shook her head. "No, he…he…" She could not form the word.

"Killed me?" Harry asked quietly.

"But it's a dream." Hermione looked between the two, feeling something hanging in the air that did not make her feel at all comfortable. "Just a silly dream. We've all had them, haven't we?" She asked, hopefully. But even to her own ears she sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

Ron nodded before breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "Sure, I have bad dreams all the time. Only last week I was being chased around Hogwarts by a huge chocolate frog." He frowned suddenly. "I guess that's what comes from eating so many before bed."

Hermione smiled at Ron, and then turned to face Harry, who was still looking thoughtful. "It doesn't mean anything, Harry." Her brow creased. _But it felt so real._

Closing the book that rested on his lap, Harry gave her a grin. "I just don't like you losing sleep over me." He rose from the chair, his book tucked under his arm. "We should get to Dark Arts. I would hate for us to give a bad impression to the new teacher. We don't want to start off like we did with Snape." He practically spat the last word.

Giving Ron a look that told him she was not exactly convinced by his act, Hermione rose and turned towards the hole, which Harry was just exiting through. Both she and Ron had to dash to catch up with him.

>>>> 

Shuffling her feet, Hermione looked around the group of students that waited outside the Dark Arts classroom for the new professor to arrive. They were standing slightly away from the others, who were all separated into their House groups, talking amongst themselves. She turned her attention to Harry, who still seemed to be quietly moping from their earlier conversation. If she could have jumped back in time, she would have not told him about the dream, and would have made some foolish story up about being chased by some enlarged food stuff. But she knew, that if she got to do it all again, she would still have told him the truth.

"I wonder what's keeping the professor." Hermione frowned, wanting to get on with the class. This was a very important year for them, which was already difficult enough with all the bad events happening. The school had seemed to lose some of its strictness. "We'd have been better off just continuing to read the chapter rather than standing here wasting time."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a crisp voice, which had the power to stop all the conversations. "Then let us waste no more time." The door to the Dark Arts class had opened, and standing just inside the classroom was a tall thin woman, her features were pointed, making her appear almost like a stick. "Quickly, come in and take your seats."

Hermione rolled her eyes, and blushed slightly, as she followed Harry and Ron to their desk. Pulling out her book, she laid it on the table and opened it to the relevant chapter, as the rest of the students followed suit.

Her eyes soon fixed on the wraith of a witch, who stood at the front of the class. Behind her, on the blackboard, a piece of chalk danced across its surface, leaving a trail of white that spelt out 'Professor Augusta Stygian'.

"That introduces me, I believe, and now before we start I should get to know you all." The professor's gaze fixed instantly on Harry, as did all the eyes of the class. "This is one young man who needs no introduction. Harry Potter." She moved over to where he was sitting and stared at him for a moment.

Hermione could feel Harry growing agitated under the professor's gaze. And she could understand why. The woman appeared to look into Harry, not just at him, as if she could look inside and read what was buried there.

Then suddenly Professor Stygian's eyes shifted, until they were flicking between Ron and Hermione. "And I believe we have Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger here, from Gryffindor." She gave the three a warm smile, which had a very odd effect on the thin woman's face. Her skin seemed to pull tight over her bones, revealing a weird kind of Death's Head. "I am sure we will get to know each other a lot over the next year."

Hermione heard Ron gulp at the prospect. Harry made no noise at all, and his expression was unreadable from where she sat, but she felt sure that he was not comforted by the idea.

As if to explain herself, Professor Stygian went on. "Now that Professor McGonagall is Headmistress of Hogwarts, I have been made Head of Gryffindor." She gave the three a knowing smile, as if she could read their surprise, and moved on to the others in the class.

Ron turned his head, and in a lowered voice, said. "This sounds like it's going to be a fun year." He shook his head and frowned. "If looks could kill, hers would do it easily."

Harry nodded, his eyes following the professor as she made her way around the room. "She seems more suited for Slytherin. I'd give anything to have things back to how there were last year." Both Ron and Hermione stared at him, which caused him to lower his eyes to his book, as if he had not noticed.

Before either of them could speak, Professor Stygian reached the front of the class. Behind her, the chalk finished its task, and dropped into the tray that ran along the length of the blackboard. "In the current climate, use of the Dark Arts has become more than essential for protection. Over the next few weeks, we will be focusing more and more on the various wards and counter-spells that could save your lives." The class went deadly silent. "There is no reason to be alarmed, it is perfectly safe."

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. "Not be alarmed? Dumbledore was killed in a place surrounded with wards." He shook his head. "The sooner we get started on our quest, and find and destroy all the pieces, only then will we stand a chance at being safe."

Hermione shivered as the image from her dream and the total blackness that had followed filled her mind…

>>>> 

"Hermione?"

Blinking open her eyes at the sound of Harry's voice, Hermione found herself lying on the floor of the Dark Arts classroom, with Harry and Ron on one side of her and Professor Stygian on the other, looking down at her, her brow creased with concern.

"Okay, let's give Miss Granger some room." The professor's voice sounded commanding, as the rest of the students gathered around took a step back. "Mr Potter, if you could give me a hand to get her to her feet."

Hermione felt herself eased off the ground, and soon found herself on her feet, looking around in a confused manner. "What…what happened?" Her voice sounded weak to her own ears.

"You fainted." Ron informed her, his expression full of surprise and concern.

"Fainted?" Hermione frowned, wondering what had caused it.

Professor place a hand on Hermione's forehead, causing her to shiver. "You'd better take her to Madam Pomfrey." Hermione shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but Professor Stygian cut her off. "Mr Potter, if you could take her there."

Ron frowned.

Hermione, catching his glance, managed a small smile. "I am feeling fine. I'd rather remain in the class." Despite the protestations of both Harry and Ron, she would not change her mind.

"Very well, Miss Granger." Professor Stygian frowned for the briefest moment, her eyes flashing with some hidden meaning that Hermione could not work out, before she once more smiled warmly, the Death's Head image returning. "Let us return to the lesson at hand."

>>>> 

Walking back to the Gryffindor House, Ron and Harry kept sharing covert looks when they thought Hermione was not looking, but she had known them both long enough to know that they were trying to work out which one of them would bring up the subject of what had happened in the Dark Arts class.

Eventually, Harry spoke, having lost the battle. "How are you feeling, Hermione?"

"It sure was strange you fainting like that." Ron piped up, confident now that the topic had been raised.

Hermione shrugged, her own mind had been filled during the walk back from class trying to decide what had caused her to black out. All she could remember was the scene from her dream, and then waking up on the floor. "It must have just been hot or something." She gave them a smile that revealed she was now feeling perfectly fine, and hoped that would bring the conversation to a close.

"It almost seemed to happen as Professor Stygian gave you one of those looks of hers." Ron mentioned conversationally. "It was damn odd."

Harry nodded his head in agreement. "She sure has a very unusual stare. I hate to say it, but she makes Snape seem normal." His eyes blazed with anger as he once more mentioned the name of Dumbledore's killer.

Looking even more confused, Hermione's face contorted, her eyebrows raised questioningly, her smile disappeared to be replaced by a grimace. "Did she use her wand, or have it in her hand when she looked at me?" The young woman did not feel like she had been hit by a spell, but she was not foolish enough to rule out the idea.

Both Harry and Ron shook their heads, as Harry spoke. "No, she had just put it down on her desk." He looked at Hermione. "You should have gone to see Madam Pomfrey, she would have known.

"It's nothing." Hermione smiled brightly, once more trying to bring the conversation to a close. "Did you see the amount of homework she set us?"

Harry groaned. "I'll be there all night reading those chapters."

"I don't anticipate getting any sleep tonight or for the next week." Ron concurred, as they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

Hermione grinned to herself, as she spoke aloud the password.


	3. Chapter 3: Heady Days and Summer

**Chapter 3**

**Heady Days and Summer**

Harry and Ron continued to compare notes on the homework they had been given as they entered the common room, which was already half full of students, who were milling around chatting and get ready for their next classes, or were sitting down working their way through their homework. Parchments and large tomes seemed to dominate the room.

As she entered, Hermione glanced about her, her gaze falling on a younger student, her red hair instantly identifying her, even though her face was turned towards where Harry and Ron were. She let out a sigh as she watched Ginny's eyes focus on the darker haired of the two boys. Hermione knew that Ginny still had feelings for Harry, even if he had told her that he could not continue their relationship. Deep down, Hermione was not sure that Ginny and Harry were really suited, but it was not her place to impart the information to Ron's sister.

Almost as if she had heard Hermione's thoughts, Ginny turned and gave her a smile, walking quickly over to where Hermione was dropping her books on one of the tables. "Hello, Hermione," she began cautiously.

"Hello, Ginny." Hermione mirrored her words and tone, but gave the younger girl a warm smile.

Ginny fell quiet for a moment, her head turning slightly in the direction of Harry, as she sneaked a quick peak at him. "Hermione?" She looked back at the older witch. "Will you be around later? I really need someone to talk to."

Hermione nodded, recalling their earlier conversation. "Yes, I'll be here." She gave Ginny an encouraging smile. "We can talk after dinner, if you'd like."

Nodding her head, Ginny returned Hermione's smile. "Thanks, Hermione." Grinning almost like a Cheshire cat, she younger woman headed off to the hole, making her way to her next class, and disappeared through. Her exit followed by the eyes of at least two others in the room.

Her gaze once more moving around the common room, Hermione spotted Dean Thomas, standing off to one side with Seamus Finnigan. He was staring in the direction Ginny had just taken with a far away look in his eyes, while Seamus continued to talk to him unknown that his friend had ceased listening.

The others, who watched Ginny's movements as she walked out of the room, were Harry and Ron, and they were still glancing at the closing door to the common room as Hermione approached them. She flicked her head and looked over her shoulder then back to her friends as if just discovering what they were looking at. Of course, she knew that both had different reasons for doing so. Harry had broken up the relationship he had begun with Ginny near the end of the last school year, and Ron…well, Ron was her brother and no matter how hard he tried, he still cared about his sister.

"What did she want?" Ron asked, almost as Hermione reached where he and Harry were standing. His eyes in the direction Ginny had just taken, indicating who he was talking about.

Hermione turned her head, as if she had no idea who he was talking about. "Who?" She asked, as she looked back at him, her face the picture of innocence.

"Ginny, of course." Ron rolled his eyes.

Looking momentarily at Harry, before focusing back on Ron, Hermione shrugged and flicked some of her hair over her shoulder, as if her answer was unimportant, and not waited on by the red haired boy in front of her. "She wanted help with some homework." She lied, before she squeezed through them and sat herself down in a chair, looking between the two.

"So why did she ask you?" Ron asked, as he turned and made himself comfortable in one of the other chairs, opposite Hermione.

Glaring at Ron, as if he had just asked the most stupid question possible, Hermione shook her head, her brown hair once more falling about her shoulders. "Harry?" She waited for her other friend to take notice that they had moved.

"Sorry, Ron, Hermione. I was miles away." Harry looked between them with a smile, as he settled down in the other chair, pushing his glasses into his nose, even though they were perfectly in place.

Hermione frowned, her brow creasing as she looked at Harry. She really did not know what would be the best course of action for him. He always seemed so far away, like he was perpetually out of reach. Sometimes she had to fight the urge to give him a hug and tell him that everything would be alright. For one, she did not know that it would be. He had a lot ahead of him, and without Dumbledore or Sirius to guide him, Hermione was worried that he would go off the rails and do something foolhardy.

"We've been here almost two weeks, and I'm no closer to this quest than when Dumbledore was here." Harry tapped his fingers agitatedly on the cover of his book, which lay in his lap. The look Hermione gave him of pure surprise, made him look at her funny. "What's the matter?"

Hermione shook her head, feeling more than a little confused. "Nothing." She sat back in her seat, wondering what had given her the idea that he had been moping after Ron's sister. "So, when do you want to get started?" She lowered her voice, making sure that no one else could hear their conversation.

Ron sat forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees. "We could get started tonight." He looked at Harry, his eyes wide and questioning, while filled with a little fear at the task ahead. All three of them knew that what lay ahead was not going to be easy.

Shaking her head, Hermione looked at Harry, his drumming fingers finally getting to her. She grabbed the book from his lap, which resulted in her getting the strangest look from Harry and Ron. "I need to concentrate." She looked at them as if they should not have needed her to explain her actions. _Men!_ She thought to herself.

"Right, so we need to get back to the library," Harry finally seemed to join the group. "Which is not going to be easy, as this place is getting harder to sneak around, especially after what happened last year." He frowned as he thought about the best way around it. "The quickest way is to Apparate, which means we have to get outside of the grounds."

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Ron. "Apparate?" He slumped back in his seat, not feeling at all good about the idea, and then he made it worse by admitting defeat so soon into the conversation. "And we have no way of getting out of the castle, now that Filch is prowling even more."

The look that Harry gave Ron instantly brought the other boy into a more upright position. Harry practically spat at Ron as he spoke through gritted teeth, the attitude of his friend not helping his mood. "We have to find a way out. We've done it before, we can do it again." He looked to Hermione for support.

Once more, before she could answer, commotion from the common room entrance filled the room. "They are going to make the announcement soon." An excited Dennis Creevey shouted as he made his way though the room. "In the next couple of days, it's going to be announced. Isn't it exciting? It's better this year, much more exciting.

Ron, equally distracted by the shouting, rose from his seat. "What is happening?"

The younger boy looked at Ron, confusion etched on his face, before he realised he had not mentioned what he was talking about. He grinned foolishly. "Head Boy and Girl. Professor McGonagall is going to announce them soon."

Ron looked back at Hermione and Harry, and laughed. "It seems you still have a chance yet, Hermione." He retook his seat, and grinned at her, which caused her to raise an eyebrow impatiently at him.

"There are more important things than that, Ron Weasley." Hermione pouted, and took in a large breath, wondering why he managed to make annoying her so easy. She looked at Harry and smiled sadly. "Right, getting out of the grounds." She lowered her voice again, as around her the common room continued to be filled with talk of Head Boy and Head Girl.

She could not help feeling slightly happy that most of the people in the room were expecting her to be made Head Girl. She made certain not to catch Ron's eyes as this particular conversation was taking place.

>>>> 

_Following the break up of Hogwarts, which had happened not long after the death of Dumbledore, Hermione, Harry and Ron stood outside of 4 Privet Drive, looking at the familiar door. Harry was frowning, not wanting to enter the one place that he hated more than anything. He wanted to be out there, continuing Dumbledore's crusade and finding the man who had killed him. It had taken all the Weasleys and Hermione to persuade him that he needed to go home and calm down before he undertook anything, and to their surprise, he had done as he was asked._

_Ron stood looking at Harry, his eyes filled with a kind of wonder. "I've never stayed in a Muggle home before." He harped, trying to hide his grin. "This is going to be great!"_

"_Don't be so sure, Ron." Harry shrugged and walked towards the door. "I think you may find yourself disappointed." He knocked the door and waited for the familiar face of his Uncle to appear._

_In a car, parked just outside, Hermione's parents looked on. Hermione would have given anything to be able to stay with Harry and Ron, but she was relieved that the Dursleys had agreed to let Ron live with them for a while. And she had promised that she would come by every day, now that she could apparate this made the whole business of being away from them that much easier to rectify on a day-to-day basis._

"_See you tomorrow, Hermione." Harry called from the door of the house, as he and Ron began to lug their belongings inside, much to the annoyance of the rotund man standing just inside the door._

>>>> 

_Harry had only been at the Dursley's for a week before he had been asked to join the Weasleys at the Burrow. Hermione had managed to persuade her parents that she would be as safe with them as she would be at home and much to her surprise they had agreed. Using the excuse about the wedding of Bill and Fleur, which was set to take place once Bill was well enough, following his injuries at Hogwarts. He still had a very nasty scar across his face, which Fleur said gave him a brave heroic look._

_Hermione sat on one of the chairs in the kitchen, as Molly Weasley went about making the dinner for that evening. The young witch was helping by peeling a pile of carrots with the use of her wand, and looking up every now and again to see whether any of the other Weasleys were on their way home. _

_Ron was on his returning with Harry. The two were meeting Ron's brother Charlie, who had gone down to Diagon Alley to visit Fred and George, who seemed to need dragging back to the Burrow to take part in the odd dinner with their family. Their business was thriving, and their plan to open a second shop in Hogsmeade was eating up most of their time, much to their mother's consternation._

"_Have a look at the clock, 'Mione, love." Molly called out to the young woman as she waved her wand over a set of pans that were bubbling happily on the stove, filling the kitchen with a wonderful aroma, which made Hermione feel more than a little hungry._

_Picking up the clock, Hermione gazed at the face, noting where each of the Weasleys was. "Mr Weasley is just leaving the Ministry." Almost as she finished, a flash in the fire indicated the arrival of the oldest member of the family. Before she could read any of the other names, one after the other they appeared in the fireplace, all grinning happily at Molly, who was beaming happily back._

_As the others conversed, Ron broke away and moved over to where Hermione was sitting, grinning at her. "How go the carrots?" He asked, almost unsure what to say. _

"_They are finished." Hermione smiled, as she picked up her wand, and waved it over the top of the carrots, sending them flying in the air only to drop in a line into a pan that was boiling on the stove. "How were the Dursleys and what's happening in Diagon Alley?"_

_Ron grimaced. "The Dursleys…I don't know how Harry survived so long there." He had witnessed their treatment of Harry at first hand, and had received a little of the same himself. "And Diagon Alley is quiet, so many of the shops are closed. If it were not for Fred and George, I really don't think there would be anywhere worthwhile to visit there." He shook his head sadly. "I really don't know how we are going to go back to Hogwarts fully equipped this year, even if we can."_

_Lowering her eyes to the table, Hermione grimaced. Everyday there seemed to be the same news. More and more wizards were going into hiding, afraid that they were next on the Dark Lord's list. For a moment her thoughts turned to Harry. More than anything she wanted him there where she could keep her eye on him. He had already informed them that he was not going back to school for the final year. She and Ron had only the summer to try to persuade him otherwise._

"_Where's Harry?" Hermione asked suddenly, having expected him to come through right after the Weasleys._

_Almost as if her thoughts had made him appear, there was a flash in the fire revealing Harry, who was grinning but was missing some of his usual spirit when he visited the Burrow._

"_You are just in time, Harry," Molly walked over and gave the boy a hug, before stepping back and admiring him, her eyes running from the top of his head to his feet. "My, you have grown." She turned to her husband, as she guided Harry deeper into the kitchen. "Arthur, look how Harry has grown." Pointing to the table where Ron and Hermione were sitting, she pulled out a chair. "Sit there, Harry, and make yourself comfortable."_

"_Thank you, Mrs Weasley." Harry managed to get out eventually, before being bombarded by a hail of questions from the other Weasley members._

_Molly turned to her family with a frown. "Leave the boy alone. Ron, take Harry up to your room to get settled. Dinner will be in half and hour." Turning her attention back to her cooking, she tapped Fred's hand that was poised over one of the pans ready to fish one of the bits of food out._

_Ron and Harry rose from their chairs, and both gave a look at Hermione, silently inviting her to join them, away from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. Rising from her own chair, Hermione looked briefly at the Weasleys as they chatted to each other before disappearing through the door behind her two friends. _

_Making their way up the stairs to Ron's room, they passed a young red haired girl on the way down. Her eyes were looking towards the floor, full of sorrow. She looked up at the sound of footsteps coming towards her, her gaze falling first on Ron, who she practically scowled at, and then on Harry, which stopped her movements, as she stood just staring at him._

"_Hello, Ginny." Harry gave her an awkward smile, and jiggled on his feet, as if he wanted to make a dash for it. _

_Ginny stared at him for a moment, turned around and stormed back up the stairs the way she had come._

"_Harry!" Hermione berated, as she watched the young girl disappear out of sight, and heard the slamming of the door, indicating that Ginny had hid herself in her bedroom._

"_What did I do?" Harry asked, looking puzzled._

_Hermione, standing with her hands firmly on her hips, and looking at him incredulously, shook her head as if trying to clear away a fog that had suddenly descended over her mind_. If Harry is the Chosen One, I am so glad He-who-must-not-be-named is not a woman,_ she thought, but gave him no clues with her expression of what she was thinking._

"_Come on," said Ron impatiently. "It will be dinner time before you even get to your room." As he passed his sister's room, he gave the door and odd look, as if hoping he could get some explanation for Ginny's behaviour. _

_Following behind them, Hermione could not help wonder how she had managed to last so long with both of them, without bashing their heads together._

>>>> 

_Two weeks later, sitting on Ron's bed, Hermione read through a letter from Hogwarts, which had arrived that morning. She ran her eyes over the words, feeling her heart sink as she followed each line. The letter was already later than usual, and had only just caught them, as Harry, Ron and Hermione were leaving that afternoon to spend the rest of the summer at 12 Grimmauld Place. Being at the Burrow had not been helping Harry, and having Ginny moping around the house was just causing everyone undue stress. So it had been decided that Harry would spend the rest of the summer with Lupin and Tonks, and Ron and Hermione had promised to go with him._

_The wedding of Bill and Fleur had taken place a week earlier, and for the briefest amount of time, everyone forgot their worries and had enjoyed the day, as they celebrated the happy couple's union. The house had been overflowing with guests, those that were brave enough to come out of hiding for the event. Even Harry had managed to break a smile a couple of times, and Ginny had been kept out of her bedroom for the whole day, but that was only because Fred and George had placed one of their joke hexes on the door, which would have turned Ginny's hair green if she tried to sneak away._

_But now, the fun and laughter had died away, and everything had returned to normal, especially with the declaration that Hogwarts would be accepting students this year. Molly Weasley had been a little unsure about sending her children back there with Lord Voldemort still in hiding, but Arthur had managed to persuade her that they were just as safe there as they would be at the Burrow._

_Hermione looked over at Ron, who was lying on his bed, gazing up at the ceiling, his letter already forgotten. "It doesn't say anything." Her voice rose slightly, a faint quiver giving away her disappointment._

_Ron sat up and looked over her shoulder at the parchment in her hand, his eyes quickly scanning over its contents. "Perhaps it will come by separate owl," he said encouragingly. Shifting his body, he sat beside her, his arm resting around her shoulders, his fingers lightly stroking her arm._

_She rested her head on his shoulder, sighing sadly. "I didn't make Head Girl."_

_His hand moved slightly upward, his fingers twirling lightly in her hair. "I didn't make Head Boy, if it makes you feel better."_

_Moving her head, looking into his face, she gave him the oddest look. "No, Ron, it doesn't help." She stood up, untangling herself from his arms. "I'd better go finish packing." She walked out of the door, leaving him to stare after her._

"_Almost ready, Hermione?" Harry's voice caught her attention, as she made her way to Ginny's room, where she was sleeping during her stay. The look on her face told him that something had happened, so he edged into the conversation gingerly. "Have you and Ron…?"_

_Hermione's temper flared. "No, we have not had a row." She practically shouted before she looked at Harry, feeling more than a little embarrassed by her outburst. "Sorry, Harry, I…" She shook her head. "He is just so inconsiderate sometimes." She flicked her hair over her shoulder, as if she needed something to take her frustrations out on._

"_What has he done?" Harry looked at the door to the bedroom he shared with Ron._

"_Nothing. He's done nothing." Hermione shook her head and gave Harry a little smile. "I'll see you downstairs when we are ready to leave._

_Nodding his head, he watched as she walked to Ginny's door, before he disappeared into Ron's room. "What have you done to upset, Hermione?" His voice, louder than he probably intended, floated to where she was standing, hand on the doorknob._

"_I've done nothing," came Ron's reply. "She's just annoyed because she isn't Head Girl."_

_With another burst of temper, Hermione walked through the door, slamming it closed behind her._

_Two hours later, the three stood in the kitchen of the Burrow, with Mr and Mrs Weasley. Molly was paying close attention to Ron, running her hand over his hair, straightening it with her fingers, and checking his appearance, as if the was going to visit someone important rather than just flooing it across to Grimmauld Place. _

"_Now, you make sure you eat properly, and don't eat too many sweets." Molly turned Ron around, picking off specks of dust from his clothing. "Make sure you get plenty of sleep." She looked over at Harry questioningly. "You know how grouchy he gets when she doesn't sleep enough."_

"_Mum!" Ron pleaded, hoping she would stop._

_Hermione chuckled softly to herself, feeling sorry for him. She turned to give him an encouraging smile, which he returned, looking suddenly like the old Ron she knew. Brushing his mother's hands away, he walked over to her, and took hold of her hand, giving it a light squeeze before moving over to the fireplace._

_Mr Weasley looked at the trio of friends. "Ready?"_

_The three nodded and headed towards the fireplace. Each took a handful of floo dust, and jumped into the fire, calling out '12 Grimmauld Place'. Harry, followed by Hermione and then Ron left the Burrow for the last time that summer._

>>>> 

"So, what do you think, Hermione?" Harry's voice broke through her thoughts.

Hermione looked blankly at Harry, not having caught a single word that he had said, prior to the question. She looked between the two trying to get a clue to what they had been talking about, but their expressions gave her no hint at all. She smiled confidently. "It sounds…like a good…idea to me." She watched their faces, as she spoke.

"She wasn't listening." Ron groaned, shaking his head.

Not willing to back down without a fight, Hermione looked at Ron. "Of course, I was listening." She turned to Harry for support. He looked at her a little disbelievingly. "I…okay, I wasn't listening."

"See? Told you." Ron looked at Harry triumphantly, feeling the need to celebrate his first Hermione victory of the year.

Hermione rolled her eyes, her arms folded across her chest defiantly, as she turned her attention to Harry, completely ignoring Ron's existence. "What is your plan?" She asked, lowering her voice and leaning forward, so that he could tell it to her without announcing it to the whole common room, which seemed to have settled down following the ruckus caused by Dennis and his announcement.

"I think that will work," Hermione smiled, as Harry finished telling her the plan.


	4. Chapter 4: Outward Bound

**Chapter 4**

**Outward Bound**

The three settled down to their homework, wanting to get a start before they made their attempt at leaving the castle. None of them did an overly good job at keeping focused, although Hermione seemed to be turning her pages a lot quicker than the other two. Ron appeared to be reading the same part over and over, his finger every so often being brought into play to keep his mind on the words, but Harry just seemed to stare at the page, making no effort to even look like he was interested in the book in front of him. Hermione frowned, knowing that if he did not attempt to complete the homework he was going to have trouble in the Dark Arts class. Professor Stygian had already singled him for attention, and he really did not need a second Snape on his back.

Hours slipped passed, to Hermione quickly, but to Ron and especially Harry, Old Father Time seemed to be dragging his heels. The constant checking of the clock indicated as much. As if it was getting to her - and it was - Hermione slammed shut her book, the action making her two friends look up at her with very puzzled expressions.

"What's the matter, Hermione?" Ron asked, breaking the silence. His brow was creased in confusion, as he placed his finger on the page to keep his place.

Hermione shook her head in despair. "How can you two read and take anything in like that?" She cuddled her book against her chest, as she stood up from the chair. "You are being so quiet, it's driving me mad. Where is your usual banter? Where are the discussions about things not making sense?" She flicked her head, sending her hair over her shoulder, only for it to tussle back into its original place moments later. "I'm going to read in the dorm. You can't cut the silence with a knife there."

Harry looked at Ron and then back at Hermione. "We want to do well in class." He gave her a pitiful grin.

"I'll meet you out here later." Hermione looked at the two and sighed, before walking away, feeling their gaze on her back but she did not turn to look at them. She knew that they were thinking about that evening, she was too. They were really going to need a lot of luck if they were going to get out of Hogwarts, and more importantly, back in before they were caught.

Climbing the stairs, Hermione quickly found herself in her dorm, which she shared with four other girls, all of whom were not present. She was not in the mood for talking, not if she wanted to get ahead of herself. Over the summer, she had not found the opportunity to read through her school books, in fact, she had not picked one up, which was so unlike her. The time had been spent trying to persuade Harry to return to Hogwarts, as well as trying to find as much information on Horcruxes as they could, which did not seem to go as well as any of them had expected.

Sitting down on her bed, she pulled the book into her lap, and began to read through the required chapter, but as happened in the common room, her mind was too wrapped up in other thoughts to remain focused.

>>>> 

_A flash in the darkened fire place heralded the arrival into the house of Black of Harry Potter, followed closely by Hermione and Ron. Stepping into the room, each brushed off the soot that seemed to have clung to them. The room was in darkness, the curtains pulled against the early afternoon sun. Dust danced in the fingers of light that squeezed through the gaps._

_Hermione coughed, as a particle of dust hit the back of the throat, her eyes to beginning water before she was able to bring it under control. Rubbing her hand lightly over her eyes, she took her first opportunity to look around the room, her expression one of surprise. _

"_It looks like no one has been here for years." She turned to Harry, who had wandered over to one of the chairs and ran his finger over the material, and was now inspecting the dust._

_Harry raised his eyes meeting hers. "No one has been here, other than Kreacher, and he's hardly going to do anything around the place with no one to tell him to." Hermione's eyes revealed her disappointment in his statement, but he was no fan of the little house elf and was not going to pretend to be just to make her happy. "He'll do it now we're here."_

_Ron, who had been silently walking about the room, suddenly threw some light into the room as he yanked open the curtains, sending a cloud of dust up into the air. "Oh, crikey! It's worse than I thought." He covered his mouth with his hand to stop the dust from getting into it. _

"_Ron!" Hermione's voice rang out through the room, before she once again started coughing. _

_The red haired boy looked at her apologetically. "Sorry, Hermione." He turned his gaze to Harry and grimaced. "I really didn't think that would happen." His attention fell back on to his surroundings. "At least we can see now." _

_The room was exactly as it had been the last time they were there, other than the increase of dust following the lack of people staying at the house. Lupin had been away living with the Werewolves, keeping an eye on them and feeding information back as much as he could, and Tonks had been in Hogsmeade most of the year. And since the ruckus that had happened at the end of the year, Hermione imagined that the two of them were working out their differences, following their less than private conversation over Bill's hospital bed._

_Almost as if on cue, the front door of the house opened, and the voices of a man and a woman could be heard coming from the hallway. Harry moved over to the door, listening for a moment until he recognised the owners. He pulled it open, revealing Lupin and Tonks, who seemed to be carrying a bundle of bags._

"_Harry! Ron! Hermione!" Tonks' voice rang out around the room, as she approached each and gave them a huge smile. "You are here earlier than we expected. We were just out getting some things." Her eyes wondered over each, taking in their questioning gazes. "Come through to the kitchen, it's a little less dusty in there."_

_Harry walked through the door, following Lupin and Tonks, who had already gone through. Hermione looked at Ron and smiled, before they too left the room. Behind them, the dust cloud slowly settled, leaving the air looking bright and clear, the sun now smiling upon the room, bringing it back to life._

_Entering the kitchen, Hermione managed to catch the end of Harry's question. "…Order is still using the house?"_

_Lupin spoke for the first time, as he placed the last of the bags on the table. "Everyone's been out and about, but it's still the central point. Since Dumbledore's death, the search for Lord Voldemort and Snape has become the highest priority." He frowned. "The Ministry is doing everything it can to find them, but they are not having much luck. But then, they didn't know where he was before, so it's not really much of a surprise."_

_Harry scowled, unable to hide his anger. "I'm going to kill Snape for what he did." His eyes burned, his face taking on a look of utter determination. _

"_Drinks anyone?" Tonks interjected, looking at the trio of friends, almost as if she wanted to change the subject. When she thought that Harry was not looking, her eyes filled with pity but were quickly replaced with a sparkle, as she broke into another smile. Hermione was happy to see the Auror back to her old self, even her hair had taken on the bright pinkness that she seemed to favour._

_Harry shook his head. "I'm going to see if our stuff has arrived yet." He walked out of the door, the eyes of the others in the room following him out. _

_Letting out a sigh, Hermione walked out after him. She turned as she heard footsteps following. "I'll go speak to him." She smiled sadly to Ron, knowing that it would be him. Ron nodded and turned back towards the kitchen. Hermione heard Tonks ask again if she could get him something._

_Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she just managed to catch sight of Harry's foot before it disappeared out of sight. Taking a few steps cautiously, she then quickened her pace and made it up to the first floor landing, but not before Harry had managed to disappear into one of the rooms. She was worried about him. He had not been the same boy that he had been. He had lost his laughter, had lost the fun part of himself. Gone was the smile and in its place was a constant look of hatred. It was hard for Harry, she knew that. So many people he cared about and who cared about him had been lost. It was not wonder he did not want to risk losing any more._

_And he had given up Ginny, even though they had seemed so happy together. They had spent a lot of time together, and then suddenly he had called an end to their relationship. Hermione could tell that it had hurt them both, but she also knew that he did not make the sacrifice lightly. She had felt for him then and she felt for him now. He needed someone, but he would not open himself up to anyone. Her heart went out to her friend. It was then that she made her vow, whatever he said, whatever he did, she would be here for him, whether he tried to push her away or not._

"_Harry?" Hermione walked along the landing, her hand running along the banister, rubbing away the film of dust that had gathered, her voice revealing her concern. "Harry? Where are you?"_

"_Leave me alone, Herm-"_

_>>>> _

"-Mione?"

Hermione looked up from her book, the page of words swimming in front of her eyes, before they finally cleared and focused on the young red headed girl who was standing in the doorway of the room. Closing the book, and trying to clear away the fog of thoughts that were still clouding her mind, she gave Ginny a smile, as she shut the already forgotten book that rested on the bed beside her.

"Ginny, sorry, I was miles away," Hermione waved her over to the bed, and patted a spot for her to sit down on.

Walking over, Ginny laughed lightly. "I wish I could get that engrossed in one of these books." She grimaced, her brow creasing, as she closed the distance and sat down on the bed, pushing the offending book out of the way, as she turned to Hermione, her smile reappearing but not quite reaching her eyes. "I'm not interrupting, am I? But you said I could talk to you." Her voice trailed off.

Turning slightly on the bed, hooking one of her legs underneath her, the other dangling off the bed, Hermione gave Ginny a smile, having forgotten completely that she said she would meet her later. Hermione had too much on her mind at the moment, and this forgetfulness was beginning to bother her. "You aren't interrupting," she lied.

"Oh, Hermione…" Ginny's voice sounded miserable and pleading to the other witch's ears. "I don't know what to do." Her eyes slipped down to watch her hands fidget in her lap. "I really like him and I hate seeing him all miserable, and I know he doesn't want anything to do with me, but I…" Her gaze once more found Hermione's. "I..." Her voice petered out.

Hermione let out a low, inaudible sigh as she sat just looking at Ginny, trying to form her words into the best possible way that would not send the girl into a flood of tears. "Well…" She begun and paused, not happy where that sentence was going as she tried out another in her head. "Ginny…I think you really need to remember…" She stopped again, as the other looked into her face expectantly, as if Hermione was going to be able to solve all her problems at once. "Would you like me to talk to him for you?" She finally said, regretting the words the minute they were out of her mouth.

"Would you?" Ginny practically squealed as she threw her arms around Hermione and hugged her. "You are such a good friend. Thank you so much." Getting off the bed, she rushed over to the door, a huge smile on her face. "Oh, you won't leave it too long, will you? The sooner the better and all that." She waved happily and disappeared from sight.

Hermione collapsed back on the bed, wondering where her senses were gone, as she kicked her foot, showing her annoyance with herself. "Why? Why? Why? You idiot." Letting out a sigh, she sat back up, giving her homework a sorrowful look, as she realised there was no way she would be able to get into it now.

>>>> 

Several hours later, the common room now in darkness except for the lightly burning embers in the fireplace, three people stood fully dressed. The wand of one of them illuminated a little patch between them, as they looked at each other, their faces in the low light still revealing a little of their nervousness and determination. One unravelled a cloak that he was holding and threw it over his shoulders.

"That thing is barely big enough for the three of us now." Hermione's voice, though lowered, echoed around the quiet room. "We are going to have to be very careful and very lucky to get away with this."

Harry grimaced as he realised she was right. "But with this and the Marauders Map, we should be able to get out of the castle unseen." He scratched his head, as if thinking. "And we know some secret paths. I don't think we'll have any trouble."

"As long as Lupin and Tonks aren't home." Ron chipped in, not helping the situation any.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, his face the picture of surprise. "Damn, I forgot about them." His shoulders sunk with disappointment. "They'll inform McGonagall and she'll put a stop to our research."

The room fell deadly silent, as the three pondered the weight of this discovery. They had covered everything it would take to get out of the building and grounds, and make their way to Hogsmeade, but they had completely forgotten to think about their destination. The crackle of the slowly cooling fire was the only sound, other than the gentle breaths of the trio.

"They could be out?" Ron asked, hopefully.

"Are you feeling that lucky?" Harry certainly did not sound like he was.

"I'm just saying they could be out."

"And I don't think we are going to be that lucky."

"Ssshh!" Hermione glared at the two of them, the light not low enough to hide the look she gave. "If you wake everyone up, we won't even get out of here, let alone to Grimmauld Place." She huffed loudly. "If we aim for the library, and keep quiet, they won't even know we are there. They never go to the library."

"And they'll probably be wrapped up in each other, anyway." Ron finished.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "That's neither here nor there."

"But if they were too busy…you know?" Ron winked.

"I really don't think we should be discussing Lupin and Tonks like this." Hermione's voice began to rise slightly.

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"Would you like them to discuss us?"

"No, of course not." Ron looked quickly at Harry and his face reddening slightly.

Harry grinned. "If you two have finished your lover's tiff…" He indicated the way out. "I say we go and hope that luck is on our side."

Ron sighed. "It's times like this that I wish I still had some of that Felix Felicis. Too bad we used it all up last year. That stuff was brilliant." He mumbled as he followed Harry and Hermione to the common room exit.

"Be quiet, Ron!" Hermione whispered.

Stepping out of the hole, they were careful not to wake the sleeping lady, as they pushed her picture open. Closing it behind them, but leaving a gap so that they would not have to wake the portrait when they came back, Harry pulled his cloak over the heads of the three of them, wondering how much of them was showing beneath the hem. They paused for a moment, as Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map and tapped it with this wand, intoning 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' to reveal the locations of everyone in the castle. The three viewed the map, using a low light emitting from the end of Hermione's wand.

"It looks pretty clear." Ron whispered, as he pointed to several points on the map.

Nodding his head, Harry handed the map to Ron. "You keep your eyes on that, while Hermione and I get us to the gate." He turned his head to Ron, his movement pulling at the cloak. "Keep a close eye out for Filch, he's our biggest problem."

"Look, Professor Stygian is wandering around." Ron observed, indicating another spot on the map. "I wonder what she's doing."

Hermione traced their path on the map with her finger. "Just make sure this route remains clear." She looked at Harry and rolled her eyes in a frustrated manner. "Ignore everyone else…unless they enter our route, or look like are going to."

"Who is reading the map?" Ron's voice began to rise above a whisper.

"Would it be better if I did it, Harry?" Hermione placed her hand on the corner, ready to take it from Ron.

"Ssshh." Harry's hiss broke through the whispering. "Let's keep the noise down and get going. We've only got about four hours of time before we need to get back again."

The three headed off, each doing their task, Harry and Hermione guiding the trio and visually looking about them, while Ron kept his eye on the map, several times informing them of people who were walking around, getting both of the others jumpy until he gave their location, which tended to be on the other side of the castle somewhere. They managed to go some distance undisturbed and free from meeting anyone when suddenly Ron spoke.

"Stygian! Boy, does she get around."

"Ron, please stop going on about her." Hermione was being to get bored hearing the running saga of the woman's whereabouts.

Harry nodded. "Where is she now?" He sounded equally uninterested.

"Just around the next corner." Ron informed them, causing them to stop suddenly and him to walk into the back of them with an oof.

"Why didn't you tell us she was getting close?" Hermione whispered fiercely, annoyed at Ron for failing them again. "You were meant to be keeping an eye on the map. I told you I should have been looking at the map. Ron, you are useless."

"She wasn't there a moment ago. It's like she just appeared."

Harry's voice broke through the conversation. "Yeah, and what about him?" He pointed to the map that was the detail of the corridor just up from them, where a marking with the identification 'Argus Filch' moved slowly towards them.

The three stood back in an alcove, beneath the invisibility cloak and waited for trouble to happen as the caretaker moved ever closer to where they were standing. The man's footfalls grew louder and louder, echoing around the silent corridor. Harry, Ron and Hermione tried to become as small as possible, their breaths growing heavy and loud as he drew near.

"Mr Filch!" A voice rang out, when the caretaker had practically reached them, and stopped only a few feet away from where they were crouched. Ron let out a slow breath, as Harry and Hermione held theirs for as long as they could. In front of them the Marauder's Map, if they could have read it, identified the voice belonging to Professor Stygian.

"Mr Filch! Oh, I am so glad I found you." The Professor sounded exasperated, as if she had been rushing and searching for a long time. "I need your help. There is a problem in my office…smells like there is a dead rat in there or something. I've tried everything to locate it."

The caretaker cleared his voice. "I have to patrol this area, McGonagall's orders. She wants everything secure for the night."

Professor Stygian paused for a moment. "Well, if you help me, I'll help you complete the checks after. I just cannot work in there with that smell, and if I can't get the lesson ready for tomorrow, I'm going to have to let the students miss the class, and they'll just be lounging around the school…"

"Hmm, we most certainly do not want that." Filch's dislike of students was legendary. "Lead the way, Professor."

The trio of friends waited until the footsteps of the two adults could be heard growing fainter as they moved away from where they were hiding. Hermione once more cast a light over the map, as they watched the two specks marked 'Professor Augusta Stygian' and 'Argus Finch' moved quickly to the Dark Arts Professor's office.

Once they were sure the way was clear, Harry guided them out of the alcove, as they looked at the corridor before them, which lead to one of the secret exits out of the school and into Hogsmeade. With the town a little more deserted than usual, it would be easy for the three to find a quiet spot and apparate to Grimmauld Place.

"That was close." Ron breathed out deeply.

Hermione looked at Ron but said nothing, afraid to open her mouth in case what came out echoed loudly around the corridor. She wanted nothing more than to zap him with a series of spells that would help him stay focused on what he was meant to be doing.

Harry looked between his two friends and smiled warily. "Okay, almost there. Now everyone, keep very quiet and watch the map carefully." His eyes meet Hermione's for a moment before he looked at their route ahead. Moments later, they were through the secret exit heading out of the grounds.

>>>> 

Standing behind one of the buildings in Hogsmeade, away from any prying eyes, Harry pulled back the cloak, revealing himself and his two companions. He took the map from Ron and tapped his wand against it, while saying 'Mischief Managed'. The inscriptions vanished and it turned into a normal piece of parchment, which he tucked into his pocket.

"Are you both ready?" Harry asked, looking first at Hermione, who nodded enthusiastically, and then at Ron, who looked less than sure. "Come on, Ron. We can both do this now." He gave his friend and encouraging smile. "We can do this all together, if you would prefer?"

Hermione turned Ron towards her, and brushed his hair off his forehead, which had become untidy while under the cloak. "You will do fine." She smiled and pressed a small kiss to his lips. "For luck." She took a step back, not wanting to meet Harry's gaze. She felt oddly uncomfortable with public displays of feeling in front of Harry, but it made Ron look more relaxed and eager.

"Who needs Felix Felicis when I have you, Hermione?" Ron chuckled and turned to Harry, who was trying not to look. "I'm ready when you are."

"Me too, Harry." Hermione gave him a smile.

"Right, let's go." Harry flicked his eyes between his friends. "And remember, the Library of 12 Grimmauld Place." He frowned. "If you turn up anywhere else," he looked purposefully at Ron. "You are on your own."

The three suddenly disappeared, leaving Hogsmeade and its inhabitants to its sleepy existence. A wind swept over the ground blowing along a single leaf that stopped where the friends had only moments before been standing.


	5. Chapter 5: The First Revelation

**Chapter 5**

**The First Revelation**

The library and most of the house was in darkness, the gentle ticking of a clock and the creaking of wood filled the air, breaking the monotony of silence. Every so often the scuttering of tiny feet against ancient floorboards indicated life on the lower level of the house, as a mouse made its nightly dash for food while the rest of the house slept. There was no light, even the street lamps from outside were stopped from entering their glow and disturbing the blackness by the thick drapes that hung from every window.

Then where there had been nothing but space appeared the body of a girl. Her eyes flicked around her as she searched for her companions, in the once still library. She took a step and stopped as before her apparated Harry Potter. Giving him a smile, she waited patiently for the arrival of their friend but he did not seem to be coming.

"What's happened to Ron?" Harry asked, his voice low but full of concern.

Hermione shook her head, her eyes wide. "I just hope he was thinking number twelve."

A noise from the hallway drew their attention. Harry leading the way, with Hermione right beside him, moved over quietly to the door, making sure not to draw attention to their presence. Pulling it open, with a faint creak, he poked his head outside, listening for signs of where the disturbance was coming from. Seeing no one outside he indicated for Hermione to follow as he widened the gap in the door, his wand already in his hand.

They crept along the hallway, their eyes flicking around, seeking for the faintest trace of life, hoping that their arrival had not woken Lupin or Tonks. Moving slowly along, they worked their way from door to door, checking and giving each the all clear. Reaching the last door, they were about to give up when a crash inside brought them running the last part of the way.

Flinging open the door, Harry stopped suddenly, Hermione crashing into him, sending him flying into the room. She landed on him with a thump. Looking up from their position on the ground, they stared at Ron who was dusting himself off, having picked himself up from the couch he had fallen on, as his wand let off a faint glow.

"I guess I was thinking about coming here in the summer." Ron grinned, looking more than a little embarrassed. He moved over to where his two friends were tangled together on the floor. Helping up Hermione, he gave her a little smile, before he gave his hand to Harry and pulled him up from the ground. The two brushed their clothing down, as they both shot their friend a little disappointed look.

Hermione tutted and illuminated her wand, throwing a little more light on the area. "Destination is very important Ron." She huffed as if she was repeating herself for the hundredth time.

"It's not my fault." Ron looked himself over, before looking at Harry and Hermione expectantly. "Am I all here?"

Harry nodded and laughed. "You look all here." He pointed to the door. "Let's get started. And be quiet, we don't want everyone to know we are here." Turning he walked over to the door, leaving Ron and Hermione looking at each other.

"I'll never get the hang of Apparition." Ron grumbled; a frown etched into his brow.

"Of course, you will." Hermione reached out her hand, which Ron took with a smile. "You just need to concentrate more." She extinguished her wand, letting Ron light their way back to the library.

>>>> 

"_Harry?" Hermione knocked on the door, and waited patiently for him to reply. "You can't stay in there forever." She let out a long sigh. "I just want to talk to you." She placed her hand on the door, her other lightly trying the handle, knowing before she did so that it would be locked, barring her entry. She debated pulling out her wand and trying a spell, but she wanted him to let her in. She wanted him to let her help him, wanted him to accept that she was there for him._

_Inside the room, she could hear the creaking of springs as Harry sat on the bed. "I don't want to talk, Hermione." His voice was rough, and slightly raised. "Just leave me alone." The sound of more creaks, as she surmised he had lain down._

"_You can't hide away forever. This is stupid." Hermione was beginning to lose her temper with him, despite her attempt to be rational. "You have things to do. Damn it, Harry!" She turned and walked away. He would come out when he was ready, she just hoped that he would let her be there for him, let them all be there for him._

_>>>> _

Harry was already sitting at the table, his wand wedged upright in a gap, as it spread some low light over the area in front of him. He looked up as his friends entered, his eyes lingering for a moment, a strange expression on his face, almost of regret. Hermione let go of Ron's hand as she saw Harry and the two walked over and sat themselves down.

"I don't know where we are going to look, but if there is going to be something on Horcruxes, there must be something in here. We are looking for any reference as to how we destroy them, but to be honest, anything we can find would be useful." Harry frowned slightly. "We don't have Dumbledore's knowledge anymore."

Hermione gave Harry a sad smile, as she reached over to take his hand, only to have him snatch it away from her before she could. "We'll find it, Harry. If there is anything in here, we'll find it. Won't we, Ron?"

"Hmm?" Ron looked at Hermione, as if coming back from miles away. "Oh, yes, we'll find it." He nodded his head, but did not sound at all convinced.

Harry stood up from his chair and looked about him. "Then I guess we should get started." Around him, all the walls were lined with books, which seemed to disappear into the darkness at the edges of the room. "I suggest we all take a wall and see what we can find."

"This is going to take forever." The woeful voice of Ron concluded.

"The sooner we start, the sooner we'll finish." Hermione chimed in. Unlike the other two, she liked scanning books for information, she was also better at it than both Harry and Ron. Raising her wand before her, she illuminated the tip and wandered over to a set of shelves taking the longest wall. "Come on, we don't have time to waste."

>>>> 

"_How's Harry?" Ron asked as Hermione returned to the kitchen, the eyes of the three occupants on her._

_It was easy to tell from her face that she had had no luck with him, not that they really had expected her to. They all knew that he had gone into himself, shutting himself from everyone that cared. The looks that Lupin and Tonks gave her made her want to scream, and Ron's doe-eyed expression did not make her feel any better. The pink haired Auror placed a cup of steaming tea on the table, as Hermione sat._

"_We don't have time for this," Hermione intoned, as she cupped the mug in her hands. "I'm going to the library. I might be able to find something that will bring him out of his mood." She rose from her chair, barely having sat for a minute, ignoring the drink, as she headed out of the kitchen, Ron hot on her tail._

_He placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her movement. "He just needs time."_

_Hermione turned and looked at him, her eyes meeting his, her sadness revealed at her failing. "He doesn't have time to grieve, Ron. You know how important it is that he continues what Dumbledore started. But he can't do it on his own, Ron. It's too big a burden for him. But he won't let us help him, and I'm afraid."_

_Ron took a step closer to Hermione, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his body, as he pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head. "We aren't going anywhere, he knows that." He whispered into her hair. "He's had to put up with me all summer, I think he knows we are here." He moved slightly, and looked down into her face, his hand lightly brushing over her cheek. "I'll go talk to him."_

_Letting out a little sigh, Hermione managed a little smile. "You think you can get him to talk when I failed to?" Her voice though quiet, held a little amusement at this thought._

"_Can't hurt to try, can it?" Ron grinned._

"_No, it can't." Hermione's smile grew. "Good luck." She pressed a light kiss to his cheek and took a step back. "I'll be in the library. Let me know how it goes, okay?" _

_Deep down, she had a feeling that Ron would be slightly more successful than she had, as he was like a brother to Harry. She stood in her place in the hallway, as she watched him walked up the stairs, a path that she had taken only minutes earlier. The sound of him knocking the door drifted down to where she stood, followed by the calling of Harry's name, then a few moments later some muffled words that she could not hear, and then the soft creak as the door opened. Hermione felt her heart sink at the sound. Turning, she headed off to the library._

_>>>> _

The table was piled with a stack of books, various titles from dark arts to ancient myths and legends. In front of each of the three gathered around the table, a large tome was opened at various degrees. Hermione seemed to be flicking through her book quickly, her eyes scanning the page for any sign or mention of a Horcrux or anything else similar. Harry was almost as dedicated, having to keep looking away from the page to stop his eyes popping out of his head. Ron seemed to be reading much slower than the others but also more thoroughly.

"Wow, I didn't even think that was possible." Ron suddenly said, distracting the others from their reading, but not giving any more detail than that, before once more losing himself in the page.

Harry looked up from his book, catching Hermione's eyes, who merely shook her head and said nothing, returning to her own studying, before she closed the book in front of her, and placed it on the table, with a gentle thud.

"There has got to be something in this library. I cannot believe the Black's did not know about them or at least have a book detailing them." Hermione leant across the table and grabbed the next book in the pile entitled _'Spells Through the Ages'_. She opened the front cover and watched the dust dance in the light of the wands.

Harry grinned as he watched her. "We'll find something." He looked down at his book and back over to hers. "I have faith in your abilities."

Hermione met his eyes, a smile playing on her lips, her attention completely removed from the book on the table before her. "We've always managed in the past, haven't we?" She gazed briefly over at Ron, who was totally engrossed in his book, which make her think he was not reading about Horcruxes. Her eyes once more found Harry's, his look making her blush slightly.

"We are a good team." Harry smiled, and lowered his gaze down to his book.

Watching him for a moment, unable to bring herself back to the task at hand, Hermione let her gaze linger on the head of the boy before her. So much he had been through, so much he had lost. He would always have them. Her mind turned briefly, the darkness around her suddenly growing darker. As she watched him, the image before her changed, and Harry was no longer sitting, but was lying sprawled on the ground, his body broken and lifeless. A tear welled in her eye, and rolled down her cheek.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Harry was looking at her, a worried expression on his face.

"I'm…yes, I'm fine," she stammered.

Ron, who been lost in his book and had been paying little attention to the conversation, looked up from his page and stared at Hermione. His eye picked up the reflection of the light in her tear. "Are you crying?"

Hermione shook her head and laughed lightly. "Of course not." She looked between Harry and Ron, her eyes lingering longer on the darker haired boy, as she rubbed her hand over her cheek. "Silly dust." She lowered her eyes back to her book, losing herself in her study, hoping that was the end of the topic.

With her head lowered, she missed the look that passed between her two friends.

>>>> 

_Harry was deep in thought as Hermione entered the sitting room, in his hand she could see a little scrap of paper, that seemed to have caught his attention so much that he had failed to hear or see her arrive. She moved silently over to where he sat and placed her hands on the back of his chair as she looked over his shoulder. It did not take much for her to recognise the writing on it, or to recall the words detailed. Harry had been looking at it often since it had fallen out of the locket that he and Dumbledore had retrieved, assuming it was one of the Horcruxes._

"_Any luck?" She asked, and watched as Harry almost jumped out of his chair._

_He stood up from his chair and looked at her, surprised to see her standing behind him. "Hermione." He shook his head, as he began to calm himself down. "You startled me. I didn't hear you come in." _

_Hermione laughed. "I know you didn't." She moved around to the side of the chair and perched on the arm. Looking up at Harry, she patted the seat that he had just vacated and smiled. "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to disturb your thoughts, I was just curious."_

_Sitting back in the seat, he let his gaze fall back on the paper in his hand, rereading the words before him. "If only we knew who R.A.B. was." He frowned. "I can't believe after all that we went through, what Dumbledore did, we didn't even get the damn Horcrux." He shook his head, his voice rising. "He suffered, Hermione, he really suffered. And for nothing. In the end, it was all for nothing." He ran the paper between his fingers. "If he had not drunk that stuff…Snape…" His teeth were gritted. "Snape…" He kicked out at the coffee table in front of him, sending it flying across the room._

"_I know, Harry." Hermione turned slightly, and wrapped her arms around Harry, burying his head against her chest. "I know…we all know." Her voice was low and comforting._

"_He shouldn't have died." Harry mumbled against her body. "I'm going to kill Snape! If it's the last thing I do, I am going to kill him and Voldemort."_

_Hermione continued to hold him; relieved that he had not clammed up on her as usual. "Everything will work out, Harry. It always does."_

_Pulling back slightly, Harry looked up into Hermione's eyes, searching in them. "Do you believe that? Do you really think that I can do this?" His brow furrowed as the anger once more seeped in this gaze. "I don't even know who stole the locket and I have their initials." He turned away from her, pulling himself out of her embrace, and rose from the seat. "I can't even work out a simple clue like this," he yelled as he waved the paper in front of him._

"_We'll get there, Harry. I know we will." Hermione stood up and looked at him._

"_Who am I trying to kid? I can't do this! I can't do it without Dumbledore!" Harry picked up a book that lay on the mantle, having been left there by its previous reader. It flew across the room, landing with a bang against a vase that tumbled off the surface it rested on and smashed against the floor._

_Hermione looked at Harry and dashed over to the fallen china, wanting to clear up the mess and repair the damage. Wand already out, she silently spoke 'reparo' and watched as the pieces all came together sliding from their positions on the floor and binding themselves, becoming one again. She picked up the book that was lying open on the floor. As she did, the front cover revealed its secret._

"_Harry?" Hermione's voice was low and disbelieving._

"_What?" Harry replied; his temper still evident._

"_R.A.B." Hermione turned the book towards Harry, showing him the inscription inside the cover, which revealed itself to be 'the property of Regulus A. Black'. "The answer's been here all the time."_

_Rushing over to where she stood, Harry broke into a grin and then began laughing, as he threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Her lifted her from the ground and spun her around, both of them smiling broadly. As their eyes met, he stopped his actions and gently lowered her to the ground. They stood in each others arms for a moment, their eyes locked._

"_What's going on?" Ron's voice floated over from the door._

_Harry released Hermione, as if she had suddenly became too hot to touch. "R.A.B." He grinned as he pointed to the book in Hermione's hand. "We finally know who it is."_

_Hermione looked at Harry for a moment, before stepping away and taking the book towards Ron, who was walking into the room. "Sirius' brother, Regulus Black."_

_Grinning wildly, Harry walked over to his friends. "We've had the answer here all the time." He threw his arms around Ron and Hermione, holding them close. "Now we just have to find out what he did with the locket…"_

_>>>> _

"This is ridiculous." Harry slammed the book shut, and sighed loudly.

The pile of unread books had steadily decreased, as the pile of read had grown around the table, but none had shone the tiniest bit of light onto anything to do with how to go about destroying a Horcrux. Not that they had even found any reference to them at all in the books they had chosen to browse through that evening.

"We should probably stop now and get back to Hogwarts, before anyone notices we are gone." Hermione, the voice of reason, looked up from her book, closing it as she did. "I don't think we are going to find anything tonight." Her eyes lingered on the pile of finished books. "We've done pretty well so far."

"Only another million or so more to go," Ron chipped in, closing the book he had been reading, which looked like it was the original one he had started with. He looked around the room at the row upon row of leather bound - and those it was hard to describe the covers of - tomes that filled the shelves. "We are going to be here forever."

Hermione frowned as she took the book he was reading. "We will if you only look through one a night." She caught Ron's gaze in hers. "What were you doing? Reading it word for word?"

Ron looked at her, and then at Harry, before turning his gaze to the brown eyes of the young woman before him. "I thought you wanted a thorough job done. I didn't want to miss anything."

Letting out a long sigh, Hermione ran her eyes over the title. "Quidditch: Trials, Tribulations and the Winning Formula?" She blinked and fixed a stare to his face, one that left him as red as his hair. "And what made you think you were going to find any reference to Horcruxes in there, Ronald Weasley?"

"Now you are sounding like me mum." Ron growled, hating it when Hermione went at him like she was.

"Then perhaps you will listen to me, because you have just wasted a whole night reading about Quidditch," she practically shouted at him.

"Ssshhh," Harry held his hand up to his mouth. "You'll wake up the house."

Hermione turned to Harry, scowling, her voice lowered but still full of her displeasure. "You are taking his side again, I see."

"No, I'm not taking anyone's side."

"You always do this. He's in the wrong and you are shouting at me."

"Hermione, I'm not shouting…you are." Harry looked at her, one eyebrow raised above his glasses.

Huffing, Hermione folded her arms across her chest, breathing deeply. "He has been reading one book about Quidditch all night, when we are supposed to be looking at ways of stopping Voldemort." She shot Ron a killer look. Both of her friends looked at her as she used the Dark Lord's name. "Now what's the matter with you?"

"You…you just said Vo…" Ron stammered.

Picking up the books from the table, Hermione silenced Ron with a look, challenging him to make an argument out of it. He remained open-mouthed but did not utter a word, just watching her collect a few of the books and walk off to the shelves. She returned the books to their homes to ensure that anyone coming in the library the following day would not notice that anyone had been there. The last thing they needed was to highlight their nightly trip, especially as this would be their first of many, at least until they got the information they needed.

"She's tired, Ron." Harry whispered, his voice carrying over to where Hermione was standing. The darkness around her obscured the fact that she had turned towards them, and was listening to their conversation.

"I guess that dream got to her yesterday."

"And the fainting in class." Ron sounded concerned, which caused Hermione to smile slightly.

"We should go a little easier on her. You know, make sure we don't upset her. I really don't want her storming off like last year. I'm not going to be able to find this information without her." Harry's voice sounded sincere. "No one can research like Hermione."

Ron nodded; the movement just obvious from where she stood. "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't plan to read the book, but it kind of fell open when I was looking for titles, and before I knew it…"

"Next time, you just read, and Hermione and I will fetch the books from the shelves." Harry's voice held a little humour. He was trying to defuse the situation. All three of them were concerned with what was going to happen, they all knew the seriousness of what lay before them.

Growing calmer, Hermione once more stepped over to the table, the conversation of her two friends, stopping immediately. "Am I going to do all this clearing up on my own?"

>>>> 

_Hermione sat in the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place, a bowl of cereal in front of her on the table. She dug her spoon in, lifted it slightly then dumped the contents of the back to join the rest of the now soggy cornflakes. Not that she knew that she was doing it, as she was miles away lost in thought. It had been two days since they had discovered the name behind the initials. The book was sitting beside Harry's bed for safe keeping, almost as a nightly reminder to him that they were one step closer to the task he had before him._

"_Anyone tell you not to play with your food?"_

_It was Hermione's turn to jump slightly. "You startled me."_

_Harry grinned. "I know." He walked over to the table and sat down opposite her, watching as she dropped the spoon into the bowl. "Not hungry?"_

"_Not really." Hermione looked down at the barely touched food, before raising her head and looking at him. "I can't stop thinking."_

"_I know what you mean." _

"_If the answer was here all the time, I can't stop thinking that it might not be the only thing here." Hermione frowned, and shook her head, pushing away the bowl in front of her, to stop herself playing with it in frustration. There was something niggling her, but she could not quite put her finger on it._

_Harry shook his head. "He wouldn't hide the locket here. Not in the house."_

"_Why not?" Hermione looked up at him, her eyes questioning._

"_I just don't think he would. It's too obvious."_

_Shaking her head, Hermione frowned. "No one knew he had it. Not even…You-Know-Who."_

"_He would have put it somewhere safe." Harry began, trying to think of a good place that he would hide something that he did not want anyone to find. "He would not be stupid enough to hide it here."_

_Hermione leant forward, resting her elbows on the table, her chin against her hands. "Sometimes the best place to hide something is in the open. It's the last place people will look." She sighed, and shook her head. "You are probably right. We can't be that lucky twice." She sat up straight and smiled. "Do you want some tea?"_

_>>>> _

"The lockets here!" Harry's voice called out from one of the shelves as he put one of the books back.

Ron and Hermione stopped what they were doing and turned, looking bewilderedly at Harry. Shocked into inaction by his words, they looked at each other and then back at Harry, neither knowing what to say or do.

"You've found it!" Ron asked, finding his voice first.

Harry shook his head, and walked over to a point between where Ron and Hermione were restocking the shelves with the last few books they had been reading that night. "No, but we've seen it."

"When?" Hermione looked at him, trying to recall what he was talking about.

"Two summers ago, when we tidied the house up." Harry looked between his friends, a huge grin on his face, his eyes sparkling, showing signs of the young wizard they had grown up with. "A big locket, about this size." He made a shape with his hands to indicate. "We couldn't open it, despite trying to."

"Yes, I remember." Hermione grinned; feeling the same sense of excitement that she assumed Harry felt, just before her heart sank. "Sirius threw it in a rubbish sack."

The three friends looked at each other, their eyes flicking between sets of eyes. Not a word was spoken, as the depth of this knowledge sunk into their minds. They stood, opened mouthed and in shock, as they each tried to find something to say that could save the situation.

"We'll discuss it at school." Hermione said, as she heard the slight chiming of the clock in the hall. "We need to get back." She looked around the room, happy everything was as it had been when they had arrived. "Let's go. And remember, Ron, stay focused on Hogsmeade."

The three friends disappeared, leaving the library in darkness once again.

* * *

A/N: Now that five chapters are up, please can you let me know what you think of the story. Is it good enough for me to continue posting, or shall I just stop now? Reviews are very appreciated.

Also, the posting of chapters will slow down during the week, but I will resume at the weekend. I hope to have up to chapter 10 by the next weekend.


	6. Chapter 6: A Matter of Choice

**Chapter 6**

**A Matter of Choice**

The following day, the trio were making their way to their Potions Class, deep in the bowels of the school. Professor Slughorn was already inside at the front of the classroom, making preparations for the lesson. As Harry walked through the door, Hermione could not fail to notice the quick, uncomfortable look that he received. The professor had altered a lot since he had been at the school, his guilt over what he had told Harry had played heavily on him, and it was believed by many that he remained at Hogwarts only to make amends for the information he had imparted to Tom Riddle all those years ago, and because he did not wish to let down Professor Dumbledore.

As they took their usual places, their books already out in front of them, their attention focused on the chalked message on the board. The subject of the class was Invisibility. Slughorn waited for a moment for the class to quieten down following the revelation, his hands resting on the desk in front of his as he surveyed the class.

"Now that you are in the final year of school, we are going to move on to the more complex potions that are available." Slughorn glanced around the room as he spoke, watching the reactions of those around him. "As you are all aware, there are various spells that allow you to make objects and people disappear, this is a potion that does the same thing."

Ron turned to Harry, as the professor continued to explain the bonuses of potions over spells in this particular field. "A potion instead of the cloak," he muttered in a voice low enough not to be heard by those around him. "That could save us a lot of trouble sneaking out."

"Except everyone knows that potions have the disadvantage of wearing off," piped up Hermione, who had been half listening to the professor as Ron spoke. "Also there is the added fact that your clothing and anything you are carrying remains visible. Learning the spell would be preferable, unfortunately it is not taught at Hogwarts anymore, since one of the students got knocked out during a prank, and it was a week before anyone located him."

Ron and Harry looked at the young witch, their eyes wide with fascination, silent until Ron found his tongue. "Are you serious, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded her head, looking a little surprised that her tale had been doubted. "It is all in _'The History of Hogwarts'._ I told you, you should read more." She smiled, and looked back at Slughorn as he came to the end of his opening explanation.

"How could someone be so stupid?" Ron asked, looking incredulous.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Some people must be unlucky, I guess." He turned to the bushy haired girl beside him. "So how did he do it?"

Hermione turned and met Harry's gaze. "Do what?"

"Knock himself out?" Ron chipped in, having the same thought as Harry.

"No one knows." Hermione flicked her eyes, between the two young wizards, while trying to listen to the professor. "He lost his memory and fortunately the spell went with it. Now ssshh, Professor Slughorn is getting to the instructions."

"…Of course, this year I'm expecting great things from Mr Potter, following on from his shining example, last year." The professor continued as he strolled around the class, dropping a single strand of fur from the Demiguise in front of each student.

Hermione frowned at Slughorn's words and whispered. "You are going to have to come up with an excuse why your ability is waning, Harry." She turned to him, unable to hide the smug look on her face. She had hated the way he had used the book belonging to the Half Blood Prince – she still found it hard to think of it as Snape's.

"He could always drink the potion and knock himself out," Ron chuckled softly at his own joke.

Professor Slughorn's voice boomed around the classroom. "And there will be no testing of the potion at the end of the class. You will be assessed on the look and smell of the potion. Anyone even attempting to take a sip will be in a detention." He finally reached his spot behind his desk. "If the potion is not right it can lead to very strange effects."

The whole class fell silent as it waiting for the professor to explain exactly what the effects would be, but he did not elaborate, and no one ventured to ask, each assuming that it must be something bad, otherwise it would not have been mentioned in the first place. Almost as one, everyone began to follow the instructions laid down in their potion books.

"Feeling confident, Harry?" Hermione glanced at him, as he tossed the first couple of ingredients into the cauldron before him, its contents turning a strange shade of puce.

Harry looked over at Ron's cauldron, which had a pale blue substance bubbling away in it, while a quick glance at Hermione's lilac coloured liquid made him sigh audibly. "I was." He mumbled as he reread the instructions to see where he had gone wrong, before adding his Demiguise hair and watching in amazement when the liquid turned the same colour as Hermione's. His grin was hard to hide. "Who needs the Half Blood Prince?"

"You do, Harry. Look!" Hermione pointed to his cauldron, just as the liquid inside bubbled rapidly and turned a bright yellow, before tipping over the edge of the pot and burning its way through the desk.

In a flash, the cauldron before him was emptied, and the desk no longer had a sizzling hole in it. "I see that Invisibility is not Mr Potter's strong point." The class giggled around him, especially those from Slytherin, who all seemed oddly quieter without Draco in the school. "Hopefully we'll see some of your previous flair in the next class."

Hermione watched Harry's eyes, and heard the faint huff that escaped from his lips, fortunately the professor had already turned away by then, leaving the three to stare after him. Harry and Ron looked at each other and shook their heads. Hermione watched the professor, unable to imagine what he must be feeling. He had told the then Tom Riddle all about Horcruxes, which was breaking the rules of the school at the time. How he felt about the same boy becoming the most powerful wizard ever and using the information he had imparted was something she knew she would never comprehend.

"With Dumbledore gone, we might have to approach Professor Slughorn for help." Hermione whispered. "He does seem to know something about Horcruxes."

"No," Harry almost shouted, just managing to keep his voice low. "The fewer people who know what we are doing the better." He shook his head as she opened her mouth to argue. "Not a word to anyone, Hermione. We do this on our own."

Nodding her head, Hermione gave him a slight smile. "We should still think about it, Harry."

Ron looked between his two friends. "We might need some backup."

"If we need anyone, we'll get them. I just know that if others knew what we were doing they would try to stop us." His expression became heavy. "And I want no one getting in the way, not this time. It's just us."

Hermione knew how hard it had been for him to reach even that decision. All summer she and Ron had talked and pleaded with Harry to come back to Hogwarts and let them help him. He had wanted to run off after Voldemort and Snape, not caring if he was prepared or not. But he was there, sitting in the potions class, even if he wanted to be somewhere else, and he had his two friends, who had vowed to be with him and never leave his side.

Hearing the screeching of stools against the floor and the scuffle of footsteps, Hermione looked up just in time to hear the Professor call out over the class what their homework was.

"Chapters two and ten to be read for the next class." Professor Slughorn called out. "And twenty points for Gryffindor for Ms Granger, who was the only one to get the potion correct." Despite all that had happened the previous year, and the damage done, Professor McGonagall was trying to keep things as normal as possible, and this included House competitions and Quidditch.

Ron groaned, as if the result was a surprise to him. "Looks like you've lost your crown, Harry." He looked at Hermione and smiled, knowing that she would be so much happier going back to being the best in the potions class. "At least now Hermione'll be more willing to help us."

Shrugging her shoulders, Hermione grinned. "Not necessarily, Ron Weasley." She picked up her bag and her belongings and sashayed out of the classroom, her two friends looking at each other, before they followed her.

>>>> 

As they trio entered the common room, a first year rushed up to Hermione and handed her a piece of parchment, which bore the seal of Professor McGonagall. Her eyes opened wide as she looked at the letter, which was held out in front of her as if it was something that would bite her if it got too close.

"I wonder what it is," she said, as she lowered her books onto the table.

Ron looked at her, his voice excited. "Open it and find out." He grinned foolishly at her. "It could be you've been made Head Girl."

Around them the room suddenly came to a halt, as those milling around the room or doing their homework stopped what they were doing at the last two words Ron had spoken. The students were still excited about the announcement that was due, according to Dennis Creevey, and had been backed up with several bulletins that had appeared on the boards around the school.

Hermione frowned as she continued to stare at it, her fingers shaking. "I can't open it." She looked up from the parchment and gazed at her friends, oblivious of the others standing around them, looking on with interest. "Open it, Harry." She thrust the letter at the dark haired young man in front of her, as her hand sought out and found Ron's.

"What does it say?" Ron asked impatiently.

"Let me open it," Harry said, as he broke open the seal, and unfolded the parchment. His eyes ran over the words inside, and then he looked up at Hermione, his gaze full of disappointment. "Professor McGonagall wants to see you."

Ron looked at Harry. "Does it say anything about Head Girl?"

Harry shook his head sadly, and handed the note back to Hermione. "Nothing."

Around them the room suddenly seemed to gain momentum, as the other students realised they were not about to hear the big announcement, and returned to the chores they had neglected while they excitedly listened on.

"Sorry, Hermione." Harry frowned.

"I wonder what she wants." Ron took hold of the parchment and read it, as Hermione held onto the other side. "Perhaps she is going to tell you in person."

Harry nodded. "Yes, that's what she'll want."

Not at as convinced as the two before her, Hermione smiled and nodded her head in agreement, even though inside she did not think that would be the reason for the summons, not that she could really think of anything else. Then suddenly her heart sank, as a thought popped into her head, one that made her head swim, as the colour drained out of her face.

"Hermione?" Harry spoke softly, as his brow creased with concern. "Are you alright?"

"What if…?" Her eyes were wide and full of fear. "What if…?"

Almost as if he could read her thoughts, Harry shook his head. "Nothing has happened to your parents." He gave her a reassuring smile and placed a hand lightly on her shoulder, his eyes fixed to hers. "They are fine."

"McGonagall would not have sent a note for that," Ron said, as he squeezed her hand. "Harry's right."

Looking between Ron and Harry, Hermione gave them a smile, feeling comforted by the words of her two best friends. They had been through so much together, and as long as they had each other, she knew they could face anything. "I'll find out soon enough." She stood as she was for a moment, before she let go of Ron's hand and moved so Harry's hand fell from her shoulder. "I'll tell you about it when I get back."

Without another word, she walked over to the exit of the common room, and headed for the Headmistress' office.

>>>> 

The portraits around the office were in a mixed state of awareness. Some seemed to be dozing peacefully, while others seemed more interested in the goings on in the room. The eyes of many were focused on the young fluffy haired woman who was sitting in the chair opposite the Headmistress. One portrait caught the young witch's attention. The newest edition to the wall, Professor Dumbledore seemed to be in a very deep sleep, though his portrait did not seem as restful as all the others.

"Well, Miss Granger, you must be wondering why I have called you to see me." Professor McGonagall gave her a warm smile. "So, I will not beat about the bush. I am going to do something that has not been done in Hogwarts for a very long time; I am going to ask a student to make a decision. And that student is you, Hermione."

The young woman looked up at the professor unable to speak, not that she was expected to do so, at least not at that moment. Instead, she sat just looking at the headmistress, waiting for her to elaborate.

"Miss Granger, as you know we are currently undergoing the process to pick a Head Girl and Head Boy. This would have been done before now, but what with everything that has happened we are a little behind with a few things." The professor paused. "The choice for Head Girl was an easy one, and the decision was reached very quickly. The problem comes with finding the Head Boy, and that is where you come in."

Hermione stuttered slightly. "Me?"

"The rest of the staff and I have narrowed the choice down to two, but that is as far as we can go. We were hoping that as Head Girl, your first duty would be to pick the head boy. Those short-listed are…"

_Please don't let it be between them, _Hermione thought silently, almost pleadingly.

"…Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."

Hermione's heart leapt frantically, as her worst fear was said out loud. If there had been one thing she had dreaded it was to have to choose between her friends. Having to pick who would best work for the school was hard enough, but to choose between two people who meant so much to her was heart wrenching.

"I know the choice is a hard one, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall's voice broke into her thoughts. "I have been unable to decide, and neither has the rest of the teaching staff. Professor Stygian thought that it might be a wise decision to get another's opinion on the matter."

Looking up at the headmistress, Hermione was momentarily speechless as she thought over what she had been asked to do. It was a hard choice, but somehow there seemed to be no other way it could end up. "Harry Potter." Hermione sounded more confident than she felt. "The rest of the students will look up to him." And it would allow her and Harry to work on the Horcruxes in the peace and quiet of the Head Boy and Girl's common room.

The professor beamed. "Congratulations, Miss Granger, on becoming Head Girl and thank you for your help." She held a piece of parchment that she handed to Hermione. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to give this to Mr Potter?"

Hermione looked down at the note in her hand, which looked very much like the one she had received, except it bore the name Harry Potter. Her fingers closed around it, as once more she looked over at the portrait of Dumbledore, who had not moved since she had been there. "Thank you, Professor McGonagall."

Feeling a little miserable at being asked to choose between her Harry and Ron, even if she knew deep down that she had made the best decision for the school, she felt that she had let Ron down. It was in a less than happy mood, despite becoming Head Girl that she walked back to the Gryffindor house room, taking the longest path she could.

>>>> 

"…I can't do it, Professor Stygian." Harry's voice greeted Hermione as she returned to the common room, surprised to see the head of Gryffindor inside talking to the young wizard. He looked into the Dark Arts' professor's eyes, meeting her gaze with determination. "I do not want to be the Quidditch Captain."

Professor Stygian's expression was unknown to the young woman, as she had her back to the entrance. "It is important for things to get back to normal, Mr Potter, and Quidditch has always been a major part of the school. You were the captain last year, and led the team to an astounding victory." Her voice remained level, almost as if she was talking to a class rather than asking one of her students to take on an important role. "The other students need something to look to, and I believe you need it too."

There was a pause before Harry replied. "I don't want to be on the team." His eyes blazed over with anger. Hermione knew that he felt it was wrong for things to continue as if nothing had happened. He had been there, he had seen Dumbledore murdered, and he wanted to dedicate his time to finishing what the headmaster had started. "I want to put the effort into studying. This is an important year." He paused for second and mumbled, "And anyway, it was Ron who led the team to victory."

Hermione smiled as Harry tried the old trick of telling the teaching staff that the reason he could not do something was for academic reasons. She could tell from the body language of the professor that she was not taken in by the excuse, but the slight slumping of the woman's shoulders indicated that she was not going to put up a fight.

Turning around, Professor Stygian's gaze found the young witch's eyes, and the death's head smile appeared on her face. "I believe congratulations are in order, Miss Granger." She walked over to Hermione and looked at her, her eyes containing a strange meaning that was not easily identified, but made the young woman feel like she was being read.

Hermione smiled nervously, taken aback by the professor's revelation. "Yes, thank you, Professor Stygian."

"You are Head Girl?" Ron seemed to appear out of nowhere as he wrapped his arms around her and swung her around, a bright smile sparkled his eyes. "I said you would be, didn't I?"

Blushing as her feet touched the ground, she could feel the eyes of everyone in the room staring at her. She gave him a warm smile, that added a little something to her eyes, but she still could not get rid of the guilt she was feeling. "That's what Professor McGonagall wanted me for." Her eyes met Harry's over Ron's shoulder, as Ron once more wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly against him.

"Congratulations, Hermione." Harry did not make a move towards her, but the smile he gave her made her feel that little bit better, and yet at the same time made her feel even more guilty.

Untangling from Ron's arms, Hermione suddenly found she was surrounded by a group of students all congratulating her and patting her on the back, and sharing words of happiness that a Gryffindor was made Head Girl. The chatter and celebrations went on for a moment before a small voice piped up.

"Who's Head Boy?"

Hermione stood still, feeling her cheeks being to blush slightly, as she realised that she had forgotten to complete a task for the Headmistress. The common room had gone oddly quiet, as with a hushed breath the group waited to be put out of their misery.

Before Hermione could speak a more dominant voice rang out. "I'm sure Professor McGonagall will announce that shortly." Professor Stygian's eyes flicked between all of the students, making some flinch slightly under her gaze, until her eyes met Hermione's. "Everything has its time and place. And sometimes we want things to happen when they are not meant to, and other times we miss what is important."

She smiled once more, before her eyes found Ron. "Mr Weasley." He visibly jumped at the sound of her calling his name. "Please come to my office after first class tomorrow." Without uttering another word, the professor turned and exited the common room, which remained totally silent until the portrait closed on her retreating form.

"Harry, are you mad?" Ron looked at his friend, an expression of total bewilderment on his face. "You can't give up Quidditch. Tell him, Hermione."

"I think he needs to, Ron." Hermione gave Ron a sad smile, before she turned and gazed upon Harry, who was giving her the oddest look she had seen on his face before.

"Quidditch is his life," Ron enthused.

Hermione shook her head sadly. "He has more important things on his mind." She looked down at her hands, and suddenly remembered the note she had been given. "McGonagall wanted me to give you this." She handed the parchment to him, snatching her hand back as it lightly brushed against his, as if she had been burnt.

"What is it, Harry?"

Harry shrugged as he looked at Ron, who was staring oddly at the note. "I don't know." He smiled awkwardly before pulling open the letter and reading the contents. "Professor McGonagall wants to see me." He looked up at Hermione quizzically, searching for some meaning to the summons.

"Perhaps she knows about…" Ron began, the ears of those around them pricking with interest.

"Ssshh." Hermione shook her head at him and met his eyes. "Harry can tell us once he gets back." She turned away from the ginger-haired wizard and stared at Harry, wondering if he knew what she had been discussing with the Headmistress. It was not really that hard if he was to put his mind to the matter, but his expression did not give away whether or not he had any idea.

She walked over to the table, the route now clear as the rest of the students realised they were not going to get any more information out of the three, so had returned to doing what they had been. The room once more took on the usual hustle and bustle of a normal day. Flicking some hair behind her ear, Hermione picked up the books she had left earlier and yawned sleepily.

"I'm going to get started on the homework," she said as she gave Harry a smile, before moving over to Ron and kissing him tenderly.

"Good idea, we need to free up another evening." Harry lowered his voice. "The sooner we can get back to Grimmauld Place and find that locket the better." He grimaced slightly at the thought of what lay before them.

"We also need to know what can destroy them." Hermione's voice did not sound very optimistic. Following their failure the previous night, she was beginning to think that nothing existed that would bring this horrible nightmare to an end. They had seen what had happened to the Headmaster's hand, just that thought alone made her regret that they had to follow the same path. "I just hope there is something in the library…other than Quidditch." She looked at Ron and grinned.

Ron returned her grin. "I'll do better next time, I promise."

"I know you will." Hermione laughed lightly, as she turned, but not before she gave Harry a knowing smile, which caused him to join her in a little chuckle.

As she walked over to the staircase that led to the girl's dorms, her arms full of her books hugged to her chest, Hermione was startled to see Ginny walking towards her, the younger girl's eyes questioning.

"Hello, Hermione." Ginny smiled, her voice light but with a little edge, which was not helped by the glance she took in Harry's direction. "Have you had a chance…?"

The expression on Hermione's face cut her off mid-sentence. "You are going to have to give me time, Ginny." She smiled, realising how her friend must feel. She knew that it had to be hard for Ron's sister to see Harry every day, and not be able to be with him. The 'Chosen One' hardly looked in Ginny's direction, and seemed to disappear whenever she was around.

"I just thought…" Ginny sighed. "It doesn't matter. I know you will speak to him when you can." Giving Hermione another smile, the younger of the two walked off into the middle of the common room, hoping to attract Harry's attention.

Hermione looked over at her two friends, and saw that they were locked in a serious conversation, that she assumed was either to do with Quidditch, Head Boy or her. She smiled, wondering by the looks on their faces whether it was even all three. Turning away, she filed away the reminder that she had to speak to Harry for Ginny and then headed up to her dorm, where she lost herself in her books for several hours.

>>>> 

A week later, following a manic seven days of hustle and bustle, and a complete rearrangement of their lives, Harry, Ron and Hermione found themselves standing in the middle of the communal room that was part of the suite that made up the residence of Head Boy and Girl. It was not as big as the school houses, which were made up of fourteen dorms and a common room. The suite consisted of two bedrooms, a common room like lounge and a bathroom, but it was large enough not to make the two young people residing there feeling too pushed together.

"Whoa, this is amazing." Ron looked about him, feeling already at home in the place shared by his two friends. "This will make everything so much easier. The meetings and planning stuff."

"It also means all the prefects will be able to reach us." Hermione came out of her bedroom, where she had just dumped her trunk. "But it will certainly make researching easier." She moved over to Ron and took him by the hand. "Let me show you around."

"Where's Harry?"

Hermione shook her head and shrugged. "He had to go back to the dorm for the rest of his stuff."

As if that gave him a cue, Ron pulled Hermione into his arms and held her against his body, as her hands slid slowly around him. "I can't remember the last time we had a moment to ourselves." He looked down into her eyes and smiled, before tilting his head and pressing a kiss to her lips. One of his hands slide lightly up her back until his fingers brushed against her hair.

Hermione loosened her grip, and took a step back, breaking the kiss suddenly, as her eyes flicked towards the door. "Harry will be back in a minute." She lowered her gaze not able to met Ron's.

"Then we have a minute." He reached out for her, only to find his hand grasping air. He looked at her, his expression one of complete puzzlement. "What's the matter?"

"I don't know, I just feel wrong being all…you know…when Harry is around." Hermione turned her head, as she focused on a pile of books that needed to be placed in their new home. Cradling them to her body, she gave Ron a smile, as her eyes once more found his. "He doesn't have anyone, and it feels like we are…"

"He let her go, Hermione." Ron's voice rose slightly. "I don't see why that should spoil what we have." He closed the gap between them in several steps, taking the books from her and placing them on the table with a low thud. "We cannot creep around him as if we don't matter." He turned to her, placing his hands lightly on her arms, just below her shoulders, pulling her towards him.

Hermione blushed slightly, a strange sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ron." Her arms once more went around his body, as she pressed against him. She rested her head on his shoulder, as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"He understands."

"Who understands what?" Harry's voice made both of them jump and quickly untangled themselves from each other, as he entered the room catching them by surprise.

"Neville," said Hermione.

"Slughorn," chorused Ron at the same time.

Harry frowned and then laughed. "You don't have to stop talking because of me…or anything else for that matter." He dragged the trunk he was pulling into the room, and aimed for his allotted bedroom. "I'm happy for you both." Despite his words and the almost genial tone of his voice, his eyes as they met Hermione's did not completely reveal his words to be true.

Exchanging looks, Ron and Hermione watched as Harry disappeared out of sight. The young man shrugged and let out a sigh. "You're right. Even I'm starting to feel uncomfortable…" He let his words trail off.

Hermione nodded. "We need to keep him occupied and we know one way to do that."

"The locket?"

"If we can locate it and the means to destroy it, I think it will help Harry." Hermione's eyes lingered on the now closed door of Harry's room, which he had shut behind him hiding him from his friends. "And the sooner we do it the better."


	7. Chapter 7: The Search For Answers

**Chapter 7**

**The Search For Answers**

The next few days were taken up doing homework, taking class, and getting used to having countless prefects turning up at their door, asking any number of silly questions or just coming by to congratulate Harry and Hermione on becoming Head Boy and Girl. The days were so busy that the three friends barely got to do more than meet each other over breakfast, lunch and dinner, and even then their time seemed to be shared between various people who came up to them and used up their majority of their free time.

On top of this was also Ron's new position of captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, which ate up any time that he had while he worked out the team and organised practices. Hermione and Harry could not remember when they had seen him happier, and he threw himself into the role wholeheartedly. When he was not in class or doing his homework, he was working on the team, which he still had to finalise before the first match, which was against Hufflepuff in less than two weeks.

It was during one of their quieter moments that Harry and Hermione found they both had a free moment, and were lounging in two of the comfortable chairs in their common room, on their laps were the current homework reading for Darks Arts, but neither of them had managed to read more than a couple of lines.

"This is getting ridiculous." Harry sat watching the flames in the fire, finding them much easier to concentrate on than his book. "We'll be lucky to get back to Grimmauld Place before Christmas at this rate." He seemed hypnotised by the orange glow, as if it was speaking to him. "We really need to find that locket."

Hermione, who was watching Harry, nodded her head. "We could go tonight, if nothing comes up." For a moment a frown marred her features. "I don't know if Ron is going to make it, he seems a little busy at the moment."

It was Harry's time to look a concerned. "It's good for Gryffindor that he is putting so much effort into playing." He raised his eyes from the fire and met Hermione's eyes, smiling awkwardly. "It must be hard on you though?"

"Hard on me?" Hermione asked, although she knew exactly what he meant.

Harry nodded as he sat back in his chair. "You've hardly seen him for the last couple of days, and now with the Quidditch…" He let the rest of the sentence hang in the air.

"I've been so busy, I've hardly noticed," she lied, unconvincingly. In fact, it pained her when she realised that she had not given Ron as much thought as she should have. It was true that she had a lot on, but she was not even attempting to find an odd moment to share with him.

Misinterpreting the smile that Harry gave her, Hermione got all defensive. "And don't you dare start pitying me, Harry. I'm not the only one who is on my own right now." She watched as his eyes flared with a mix of anger and sadness, her heart sinking as she realised what she had said. "I'm sorry."

Harry looked at her, silent for a moment. "And don't pity me either, Hermione." His voice was rising slightly as he began to lose his temper. "Don't think that I don't know what you and Ron are doing. Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think I don't know that you stop holding hands and talking to each other every time I come into the room?"

The young witch's eyes stares disbelievingly at him, her mouth opening and closing several times as her mind raced through a multitude of things she wanted to say but could not find the right words.

"And don't try to deny it." Harry rose from his chair, unable to sit and look at her, as he turned his back, his arm resting on the mantel, as his gaze once more found the flames. "All through the summer you were jumping apart whenever I showed up. I don't know why you feel that you have to hide your feelings from me." He slowly turned and met her stare. "I chose to be on my own. I made that decision. Not you, not Ron…"

"Not Ginny." Hermione interrupted.

Harry shook his head and laughed, which was not a pleasant sound in the mood he was in. "Oh, I wondered when you were going to bring this up."

"What?" She stammered.

"Ginny." He shook his head and turned to face her full on. "I've seen her talking to you, and I don't need to be a genius to know that she's been speaking about me." He sighed heavily. "She looks at me all the time, like I'm suddenly going to change my mind, but I'm not. And you can tell her that, as I'm sure you are supposed to report back to her."

Hermione rose from her chair, not calm enough to sit any longer. "It isn't like that." She moved over to him, standing just in front of him, her eyes wide. "She's upset and I've been trying to help. She just wants to know how you are because she is worried about you." Her brown eyes seemed to suddenly appear darker. "And she is hurting. She doesn't know what to do."

"She needs to move on." His voice seemed low, and more menacing. "I can't deal with her right now. I can't have anyone on my mind." He looked deep into Hermione's eyes then took a step back. "I have too much to do, and I don't have the strength to care and worry about someone else right now. You more than anyone know what lies ahead of us, Hermione."

She let out a long slow sigh, as she nodded her head. "Yes, I do, but you mustn't think that you have to do this on your own. It is not your fight alone."

Harry let out another laugh, which seemed to echo hauntingly around the room. "That's exactly what it is. You know the Prophecy." He suddenly looked lost and sad to her eyes. "It's me or him. That makes it my fight, Hermione. Mine and no one else's."

"We will be here for you. We will help you through whatever happens." Her voice had grown soft, almost comforting.

His next words caught her by surprise. "Did I die painfully? In your dream." He had turned away from her, was staring into the fire as if he could see the image that she had seen. "Did I put up a good fight?"

"I don't know." She moved a little closer to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder, pleased that he did not flinch at her touch. "I only remember the end." She could feel the tears beginning to well in her eyes. "I just saw you…" _Lying dead on the ground_, the words echoed through her mind, but she could not say them.

Harry turned slowly and faced her, his eyes searching her face before he gazed into her eyes. "Do you think that is what is going to happen? Do you think we will lose? That I will lose?"

Shaking her head, Hermione fought back the tears that threatened to fall. "No. No, I don't think you are going to fail." She managed a little reassuring smile. "Harry Potter never fails."

"But your dream…?"

"It was just a dream." Hermione stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around him, holding him protectively. "You know I was never very good a Divination." She smiled as she felt him wrap his arms around her, his body close.

A slight knock heralded the arrival of Ron, who pushed open the door and saw Harry and Hermione locked in each others arms. For a moment, his eyes flashed over with questions. He opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by Hermione, who over Harry's shoulder, placed her finger up to her lips, begging him to say nothing with the look she gave him.

After a few minutes, Harry unwrapped his arms from around the young woman and gave her a smile. "Thank you, Hermione." He turned then and spotted Ron at the door, having been too far away in his thoughts to notice him earlier and with his back to the room's entrance. "Hello, mate. How was Quidditch practice?" He stepped away from the young witch.

Ron stood staring at Hermione for a moment, as if they were having a silent conversation, before he looked at Harry. "You really don't want to know. I thought I had seen some bad practices in the past, but we'll be lucky if we can find the Quidditch pitch let alone the Golden Snitch." He walked over to the chair, and slump himself in it, letting out a large sigh as he did. "We'll not be ready if we practice every day from now until the first match." His eyes caught Hermione's. "Which unfortunately, I will be doing for the next couple of weeks, sorry."

Hermione gave Ron a smile to show that she understood, but felt less than happy when her eyes fell on Harry's face, reading the expression easily as he raised his eyebrow at her. "We really should be getting out of here if we want to look for this locket." She swiftly changed the subject, wiping the look off of Harry's face.

"Do you really think it's back at Grimmauld Place, Harry?" Ron asked, not sounding overly convinced, not to mention trying to stifle a yawn.

"Yes, I do." Harry was once more his old self. "It's the most obvious place. Where else would Regulus hide it?"

Hermione interjected. "The quicker we search the house, the quicker we'll know." She looked over at Ron and then Harry. "We also have to be very quiet. We don't want to disturb Tonks, Professor Lupin or Kreacher."

"'Specially Kreacher." Ron agreed.

>>>> 

The darkness of the library in Grimmauld Place once more disappeared as the three materialised in the middle of the room, their wands instantly throwing a gentle glow around them. Ron was grinning broadly, having managed to arrive in the right place, unlike their previous visit. They looked about them, as if to confirm that they were once more successful in arriving unknown to the other residence of the house. Harry walked over to the door, and opened it a crack, listening for sounds of disturbance outside.

"It all sounds quiet." He whispered as he closed the door and looked at his friends. "Everyone is either asleep or out…hopefully." He moved back over to where the others were milling by the table. Hermione had perched herself on the edge, while Ron stood resting his hands on its surface.

"The plan is still as discussed?" Ron asked quietly, as if he was afraid of being overheard.

Harry nodded and lowered himself down onto a seat. "You, Ron, and I will search the house for the locket, while Hermione works on finding something about Horcruxes, especially how to destroy them." A frown crept across his face, as his voice grew regretful. "I wish Dumbledore was here."

Ron and Hermione exchanged looks but said nothing, knowing that now was not the time to get into that discussion. They had a task to perform and dwelling on things that did not pertain to the search would only hamper what was going to be almost impossible as it was. So, instead of speaking they remained silent and waited for Harry to come out of his thoughts.

"Right," Harry said in a non-committed voice, as he slowly pushed the thoughts from his mind. "I'll start upstairs and Ron, you take this floor. Just remember to stay as quiet as you can, we really don't want anyone to know we are here." He looked at Hermione. "Will you be alright searching on your own?"

Hermione gave a brief nod of her head. "I'm not promising I'll find anything tonight, but I'll do what I can. You two just make sure you find the locket. The sooner we have it, the more chance we have of finding what is needed to destroy it." Not that any of them were really that convinced they would be able to do it. Harry had explained to them that Dumbledore had been injured destroying one of the other Horcruxes and he was a powerful wizard.

They three friends exchanged looks and without uttering another word, each set out to complete the errand that they had been assigned. As Harry and Ron disappeared out of the door, Hermione turned and looked at the shelf upon shelf of books. She moved to the nearest one, and began to run her eyes over the titles of the tomes arranged in leather bound rows.

>>>> 

"_Now that we have discovered the first clue, I think we can begin trying to locate not only the locket but the other Horcruxes. Dumbledore seemed pretty sure about a few of them, I think we can take it that he was right about those." Harry looked at the inscription inside the cover, a grin still on his face. "I wish Sirius had been alive to know that his brother, Regulus was not as bad as he seemed."_

_Ron looked up from the comic he was reading. "Not as bad, Harry? He was a Death Eater. What could be worse than that?"_

_Placing the book in his lap, Harry shook his head. "He hid one of the Horcruxes from Lord Voldemort. That has to make him good in my book…or if not good, then at least not all bad."_

"_Of course, he could have been hiding it for Lord…" Hermione stopped, unable to say his name. "I just wish he had left a clue to where he hid it. It could be anywhere and we have no idea of where he could have hidden it." She could not hide the sigh that escaped. "If he hadn't have moved it, we would have it in our hands right now."_

"_Or Snape would have it." Harry snapped, as he always did at the mention of their old Dark Arts professor's name. "And if he managed to give it to Voldemort then we would be stuffed." He shook his head and picked up the book again, looking at the words as if they would speak to him and tell him what he wanted to know. "I say we should be grateful that the locket wasn't where it should have been."_

_Hermione looked at Harry. "Once we get to Hogwarts, we can…"_

"_I'm not going back!" Harry's voice instantly rose as he cut her off mid-sentence. "How many times do I have to tell you?" He got up out of his chair, closing the book he was holding with a bang. "I have to find the Horcruxes and destroy them, for Dumbledore."_

"_Do you think he would want you to give up Hogwarts?" Hermione's eyes sought out the young wizard's face as he towered over his two seated friends._

"_Don't start that again, Hermione." The look Harry gave her was enough to silence her for a moment, her mouth opening and closing as she fought to speak. "I've said it once and I'll say it over and over until you finally get it into your thick skull, I am not returning to Hogwarts."_

_Ron broke into the discussion. "Now wait a minute, Harry. Hermione is only trying to help, there is no need to get be so horrible to her."_

"_And now are you going to start on me too, Ron?" Harry was getting more annoyed by the minute, his voice rising with his growing anger. "It's like fighting a tag team, once one of you has finished the other starts."_

_Hermione stood up, her eyes blazing. "You just can't stand that there are people who care about you and want to see you do what is best for you. You are so wrapped up in yourself that you don't see that we might need to help you, not just for you but for us too." Ron stood up and placed his hand on her arm, trying to stop her saying anything else, but she merely shook him away. "Do you think you are the only one upset by Dumbledore's death? Do you think you are the only one that feels betrayed by Snape? This is not only about you, Harry!"_

"_Hermione…" Ron began._

_Harry put up his hand to Ron to stop him from interrupting. "No, let her continue, she obviously has a lot on her mind."_

"_You think that you don't need anyone, that you can do this on your own, well let me tell you this, Harry, you can't." She barely paused for breath. "Dumbledore knew that you would need us, why do you think he got you to tell us what was happening?"_

_Harry shrugged. "Why did he? Why doesn't the font of all knowledge put us out of our misery? Go ahead, Hermione, enlighten us." His voice dripped with sarcasm._

"_Because you will need us." Hermione little more than whispered the words. "He knew that you would not be able to do this on your own." She looked at him sadly. "And we want to help, Harry."_

_Harry's eyes flicked between Hermione and Ron several times. "I don't need your help! I don't want your help!" Without another word, he stormed out of the room, with Ron and Hermione staring after him._

"_I guess he doesn't want our help." Ron shrugged and sighed. "You really didn't help. You shouldn't shout at him like that. It just makes him more defensive and determined."_

_Hermione frowned and slumped back into her seat. "I just wish he would be less stubborn and listen. We'll never get anywhere at this rate." She looked over at the door Harry had just disappeared through. "I hope we can get him back to Hogwarts."_

_>>>> _

Hermione closed the thirteenth book, and moved it onto the pile, freeing up the space in front of her, before she turned towards the door expectantly. She stared at it for a moment, waiting for it to open, and then looked back at the next book in her to be read pile. Brushing her hair behind her ear with her fingers, she picked up the next leather bound book titled '_Portents and Signs: A Guide to Black Arts_', and opened the cover.

Running her gaze over the first page, she looked up suddenly as she heard some strange noises outside the room. She got up quietly from her seat and moved over to the door, carefully pressing her ear against the wood trying to pick up the sounds. Remaining there for a minute, she strained to hear, when the door shot open unexpectedly sending her flying back into the room, causing her to land in a heap on the floor. Visiting 12 Grimmauld Place was not turning out to be very lucky for the witch.

"Harry?"

The face of the young wizard appeared around the door, quickly followed by the rest of his body. "Sorry, Hermione. Are you alright?" He rushed over to where she was sitting on the ground, and taking her hand, pulled her back onto her feet. "I wasn't expecting you to be behind the door." He looked at her questioningly. "What were you doing?"

"Let's just say curiosity felled the cat, even if it did not kill it." Hermione smiled as she brushed down her clothing, before she looked at him suddenly, as if she had just remembered something important. "Did you find anything?"

Harry moved further into the room, once he was convinced that Hermione was not hurt in any way, other than perhaps her pride. He slumped into one of the chairs beside the table and folding his arms on its surface, he rested his head, hiding his face. "We're never going to find it." He mumbled.

Following him over to the chair, she placed her hand lightly on his shoulder, gazing down at him sadly. She hated seeing him giving up hope so quickly, which seemed to have become a new trait of his. "Of course we'll find it. If it's here, we'll locate it, just you wait and see." Her fingers gently began to rub softly and reassuringly. "You must not give up yet. You've never failed before."

Raising his head form his arms, he turned and looked up at her. "What if I'm wrong? What if it isn't here? What will we do then?" He shook his head sadly. "If he hadn't moved it, we would have it by now." He frowned and slapped his hand against the table. "Damn, Regulus! Why couldn't he just leave things alone?"

Hermione could not help grinning as she recalled Harry's praise of the man during the summer. "Wherever it is, we will find it."

Harry moved his hand and placed it lightly on hers where it rested on his shoulder, before closing his fingers around hers and bringing both of their hands before him. His thumb lightly stroked the soft skin on the back of her hand. "You always make me feel better." His eyes met hers with a sad smile. "I don't know what I would do if you ever lost faith in me."

Gazing down into his eyes, Hermione could feel her throat begin to tighten, and she swallowed hard to free the tension. Her eyes sparkled in the low light of the illuminated wand. She smiled then opened her mouth to speak, before the creak of the door drew her attention. She turned to see Ron standing in the doorway, the expression on his face looked far from happy.

"Any luck, mate?" Harry asked, instantly forgetting that he was still holding Hermione's hand.

Ron's eyes flicked between his two friends, until his gaze focused on their hands. "What's going on here?" He looked at Hermione, his expression questioning.

Hermione let go of Harry's hand and smiled at Ron. "Harry was feeling…"

"I can see that." Ron mumbled under his breath.

"…That we were wasting our time." Hermione continued, having not heard Ron's remark.

Harry nodded and stared at Ron, looking more than a little uncomfortable being caught with his friend's girlfriend again. "Hermione was just telling me that she was sure we would find it. But I've checked the upstairs and there is nothing." He frowned, his whole body slumping once more.

Looking briefly at Harry, Hermione moved slightly and sat in her seat. "And I've not had any luck finding anything in the books again." A long sigh escaped from her lips. "I'm just about to start book fourteen. I could do with a stroke of luck."

"Like this?"

Harry and Hermione gazed at Ron, their eyes wide and jaws almost on the ground, as from behind his back Ron revealed his clenched hand and stretched his arm out in front of him, slowly opening his fingers. Dropping down from its hiding place, dangling on a chain, hung a locket bearing Salazar Slytherin's Mark.

* * *

_A/N: That will probably be the final update until the weekend, as I really need get some writing done. If I can get any chapters up before then, I will do so, but no promises._


	8. Chapter 8: Unlocket

**Chapter 8**

**UnLocket**

The air in the library hung heavy with expectation. Silence dominated, spoilt only by the sounds of ticking from the hallway and heavy breathing from the three occupants. Creaks from around the old house stole away some of the peace and quiet, adding to the atmosphere. But no one spoke. No one was able to speak, as two sets of eyes stared at the golden locket dangling from the hand of Ron, while his eyes flicked between the faces of his two friends.

Suddenly, as if someone had uttered a secret code to return Grimmauld Place to life, a squeal of excitement escaped from Hermione as she rushed up to Ron and hugged him, followed shortly by a cheer from Harry as he finished the bundle, throwing his arms around the two of them. The three danced around and celebrated, clapping Ron on the back, even though none of them could still find the ability to put their thoughts into words. The sounds of squealing and laugher filled the air, until all at once the three remembered where they were and fell again into silence.

Standing stock still, the trio of friends listened for evidence of movement in the house, hoping that they had not revealed their presence with their moment of forgetfulness. Unwrapping themselves from each other, Harry and Hermione looked at Ron, their eyes full of questions. Harry was the first to find his tongue.

"Well done, mate." He could not have smiled more if he had tried. "Where did you find it?" He placed his hand under the locket, and felt its weight as Ron released his hold on it, the chain finally piling into Harry's palm.

Ron grinned, his own happiness at his success evident on his features. "Outside the back door, in a black sack." He shook his head and frowned. "I was just about to give up when I remembered what me mum does whenever she fills black sacks, and being as she was here at the time, I thought I would give it a look. And there it was…well, I had to search a little, it had become wedged behind some pots and things, and was barely visible."

"Kreacher!" Harry suddenly laughed. "He must have hid it to stop it being thrown away."

"Why do you say that?" Hermione looked at him questioningly, annoyed at the way the house elfs were blamed for everything, even if the old Black family elf was not top of her favourite list. "It could have been anyone."

Harry shook his head. "He was trying to save things back then from being discarded, you must remember what he was like. Sirius…" He paused for a moment as he mentioned his godfather's name. "Sirius warned him not to take things, he must have hidden it when he got the chance. No one would have looked for it out there. If he was here I would kiss him…"

Ron looked at Harry disbelievingly. "I'm sure that could be arranged." He burst into a fit of laughter at the thought, followed closely by Harry and Hermione, who were both caught up in the euphoria of the moment.

"Is it the right one?" Hermione said, suddenly bringing the trio down to earth with a bump. They had all been so excited that none of them had given it much thought to look closely at the golden item that now rested in Harry's hand.

Harry walked quickly over to the table, where Hermione's wand was illuminating its surface, and placed his hand outstretched in the low light. Behind him, Ron and Hermione walked over to where he stood, his arm resting lightly around her shoulders, until they were standing just to one side of Harry, able to see the locket in his hand.

All three of them gazed down at the golden oval that lay in his palm, the etched symbol on its polished surface revealed by the shadow of its cuts. There in all its glory was the mark of Salazar Slytherin. As realisation made its way into each of their minds, they all gave a little cry of excitement. Ron pulled Hermione into a cuddle while Harry cupped the locket in his hands as if afraid that it would escape from him.

"All we have to do now is destroy it." Harry's voice broke through the celebrations, his tone highlighting the mountain they still had to climb. Finding it had been the easy part, now they had to get rid of it so that Voldemort could not use it to resurrect himself following his hopeful defeat. "And we have no idea how."

Hermione stepped away from Ron, giving him a warm smile as she walked over to the table and looked at the pile of books resting on its surface. "We'll just have to keep on looking. There has to be a clue somewhere." She looked up at Harry's face, seeing the mix of emotions spreading over his features. "We will find it, I promise."

Ron moved closer to Harry and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, making Harry jump visibly. "Let's go grab some more books. The more of us looking, the quicker we'll find it." He pulled out his wand and illuminated it, as he moved over to one of the shelves and began to run his eyes over titles, looking for any book that might be relevant, ensuring that he did not stop on any relating to Quidditch.

"Thank you, Hermione," Harry said quietly, as Ron walked away. "Sometimes I wonder what I would do without you…and Ron." He gave her a smile that she just caught in the dim light. "Right now though, I would give anything to have Dumbledore here so he could tell us how we go about getting rid of this thing." He opened his hands revealing the locket, his eyes fixed to the casing, as his fingers clasped around it, trying to pull it apart. But as had happened two summers ago, it remained firmly closed.

Shrugging his shoulders, he grimaced and placed the locket on the table for safe keeping. "I swear, I will have that thing open and destroyed before the end of this night. I owe that much to the quest." He let his eyes remain focused on the golden oval for a moment, as if willing it to reveal its secret to him. "Voldemort is not going to win this round." His gaze met Hermione's with a smile. "Book hunting I go." Lighting his wand he wandered over to the shelves, choosing a slightly different portion of the room to Ron.

Watching him walk away, Hermione retook her seat and pulled the next book in front of her, opening up the front cover, and almost choking on the dust that blew up into her face. Waving her hand in front of her, she waited for her eyes to stop watering before running her gaze over the first page. Not that they remained focused for long, as the golden locket lying on the table drew her attention. The etching on its surface seemed alive to her eyes, as she stared at the dark image.

>>>> 

"_Are you going to let Snape and Malfoy win?" Hermione's voice seemed to echo through the room as she and Harry sat together one summer afternoon. _

_The house was oddly quiet as Ron had disappeared outside to practice for his Apparition test. Tonks and Lupin had gone out to gather information from various sources, still looking for information on the whereabouts of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. News was still being reported about deaths and disappearances, and each time they returned there were more and more reports of people leaving for the cover of safety. Even the Muggle world was beginning to become effected by the return of Voldemort._

_Harry looked up from his book, which he was reading to keep himself calm before his own exam. He and Ron had booked their tests through the summer, so that the three of them could travel easily around, especially as Harry knew it would aid in his search for the Horcruxes. "Hermione…"_

"_Don't tell me to be quiet, Harry." The young witch cut him off, and was rewarded with a tut from the wizard across from her. "You can't hide from this, it's important."_

_Harry slammed shut his book and dropped it noisily on the floor in front of his chair. "And how exactly is going back to Hogwarts going to help me?" He continued quickly before she could answer. "Is it going to bring me Snape? No. Is it going to bring me Malfoy? No. Is it going to miraculously tell me where all the Horcruxes are hidden? No."_

"_It might." Hermione finally managed to get a word in. "Like you said, Dumbledore knew all about them, who knows whether or not he left any clues which might be able to help us?" She leant forward in her chair, her eyes meeting his pleadingly. "You know he would want you to go back to Hogwarts, Harry. He did not do everything he did for you to abandon him now."_

"_Abandon him?" Harry's voice rose. "I'm not abandoning him. I'm dedicating my life to finding and killing the man that took his. I'm finishing what he started. How is that abandoning him?"_

_Hermione blushed slightly, realising too late that she had said the wrong thing. "That isn't what I meant."_

"_I don't know what you mean half the time." Harry got out of his seat and stood up, looking down on Hermione, towering over her. "But I know this you really need to stop interfering in my life. If you want to go back to Hogwarts, then I wish you luck and I hope they manage to keep all the Death Eaters and other things away from you, but I will not be stepping back in that building, not until I can look Dumbledore's picture in the face and tell him that we have won."_

_Hermione let out a huff, barely keeping her temper under control. She did not know why she felt it was important for him to return, but something told her that it was. "You are so pig-ignorant at times, Harry Potter." She got out of her seat and stood facing him, her hands firmly resting on her hips. "Hopefully when you are Apparating, something will hit you on the head and knock some common sense into you." She glared at him for a moment, waiting for him to say something, but nothing was forthcoming. She stormed over to the door, and pulled it open angrily. Looking back at him, she glowered. "And good luck with the test."_

_>>>> _

Ron stumbled back to the table, his arms laden with a pile of books, which he managed to release just before he had them resting on the surface. With a series of thuds, each of the books landed in a pile on the floor. "Damn it!" He cursed as he stooped down to pick them up.

Hermione pulled her gaze away from the locket, and looked at the top of Ron's red head, which was all that was visible of him from where she sat. Getting to her feet, she hurried around the table to help him gather them all back up. "I think you should have made two trips." She grinned at him as she picked up the first book and looked over the title.

"There are no Quidditch ones." Ron snapped before she could say anything.

Looking up at him, she frowned as she caught his eye. "What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione found herself a little taken back by his reaction.

"Nothing." He replied grumpily, as his hands stopped their actions for a moment. "I thought you were checking the titles."

"I was." Hermione smiled. "But not for Quidditch. I thought you might have picked something that might be useful. You have all the luck today."

Ron frowned. "I'm not so sure," he added cryptically looking over his shoulder at where Harry was standing.

Hermione missed the look as she picked up another book from the floor, her eyes picking out the gold embossed title in the semi-darkness. "'Resourceful: A guide to creating what that you need, when you need it'. That is an interesting title." Her eyebrows rose slightly, as she pulled open the cover and looked at the first page, running her eyes over the words inside. "Have you been stilted in your desire by the need to do something without having the means of doing it? This book will show you how got get what you want when you want it…," she read aloud, before silently getting to her feet, lost in the rest of the page.

"What happened?" Harry's voice broke through her thoughts for a moment, before she wandered back around to her seat, leaving Ron to deal with the book spillage.

Ron shrugged. "I missed the table." He looked at Harry's pile, which was a fraction of the size of his. "Didn't find anything you liked the look of?"

Harry dropped his books on the table then crouched to help Ron retrieve his. "Unlike Hermione, I'm not overly convinced we are going to find anything here." He gathered several books, and lifting them over his head, pushed them onto the table. "I don't even see the Black's having anything about Horcruxes." He poked his head over the rim of the table and looked at Hermione. "What is she reading?"

"Some self help book I found." Ron shrugged. "I guess I didn't read the title properly. Still, it seems to have captured Hermione's attention. She hasn't spoken since she opened it."

Harry grinned. "Maybe we should take it back with us when we leave."

"I heard that." Hermione's voice reached their ears, causing both Ron and Harry to chuckle softly, as they picked up the remaining books from the floor.

>>>> 

"_I did it!" Ron's voice echoed through the hallway of Grimmauld Place, drawing Hermione's attention. Moments later he burst through the door of the sitting room where she was sitting looking through one of the many books that had kept her busy during the summer. "I passed!"_

_Getting up from her seat and rushing over to where he stood, Hermione wrapped her arms around him, only to find herself swept off her feet and twirled in a circle. "Congratulations," she beamed happily. "I knew you could do it if you concentrated." She pressed a kiss to his lips then smiled happily as she looked into his eyes as he lowered her to the floor. _

_A noise behind him drew her gaze to the door, where Harry was standing there watching them. Releasing her arms from around Ron, she looked at him smiling. "How did you do, Harry?" She asked, as she moved a little way towards him. "Did you pass too?"_

_Harry suddenly grinned and nodded, forgetting their conversation from earlier. "Yeah, I passed."_

_Hermione rushed over to him and gave him a hug, before gesturing Ron over to join them. As he approached, she pulled them together and wrapped an arm around each of them. "I am so proud of you both." She flicked her eyes between them, smiling brightly. "Now there will be no stopping us. We can go where we want, when we want." Her eyes fixed to Harry's, who instantly knew what she was referring to._

"_Not now, Hermione." Harry grimaced slightly, but did not seem as upset by the idea as he did earlier. _

"_We should do something to celebrate." Ron piped up suddenly, having not noticed the moment of tension between his two friends. "We could Apparate somewhere, like The Burrow, mum would be delighted by the news."_

_Harry frowned. "I think I'll stay here." _

_He had no wish to put himself in the company of Ginny, he had had enough of her moping around the house during the short time he had been there earlier in the summer, and Hermione knew that he felt uncomfortable with Ginny's mood. Not that the witch could blame Ron's sister. Ron on the other hand was not so understanding of the situation._

"_Why not, Harry? Mum would be pleased to see you, and is bound to make us something good to eat to congratulate us." Ron's expression was almost pleading to an extent. "It wouldn't be the same for just me and Hermione to go without you."_

_Hermione placed her hand on Ron's arm. "Harry doesn't have to come. Someone should be here for when Tonks and Professor Lupin come back. They might worry if the house is empty." She looked at Harry and smiled to show that she understood._

"_Yeah, you two go, I'll see you when you get back." Harry returned her smile gratefully. "Say hello to your mum and everyone for me, and tell them I'll see them before school starts."_

_Blinking at his words, Hermione stared at Harry's face, looking for signs that he was teasing her. His shrug and expression revealed that he was being honest. "Really?"_

"_I can't take any more on your moaning at me." Harry grinned, and looked at Ron. "Good luck with your first official apparition." He patted his friend on the shoulder and looked at his two companions. "Have fun." Giving them one last look, he walked towards the door and disappeared through it. Moments later, he could be heard climbing the stairs._

"_I can't believe it." Hermione looked at Ron, her face moulded into an expression of disbelief. "I've been trying for weeks to get him to agree to return and he says it just like that."_

_Ron frowned, looking more than a little confused. "Then why all the fuss?"_

"_Ron Weasley, sometimes I think there is no hope for you." Hermione laughed lightly. "Let's go, before it gets late and Mrs Weasley tells us off for travelling at night with all the Death Eaters around, especially with all the trouble they've been causing."_

_>>>> _

Harry had picked up the locket, having grown tired of spending the last hour or so reading through book after book and coming up with nothing important, in fact, nothing at all. Hermione looked up from her book, having been reading the same one for the last hour, while Ron and Harry had skimmed through about a dozen between them. The red headed wizard closed another one with a thud, and dropped it onto the read pile.

"This is getting silly." Ron whinged, as he looked at the next book in the pile. "If I see another instruction of how to turn a person into a rat or how to make someone melt from the insides out, I am going to go mad." He looked over at Harry. "What about you?"

Harry looked at the golden object sitting once more in his palm, the symbol of Slytherin staring up at him, taunting him. "I think we should just try to pry it open. How hard can it be?" He knocked the locket on the edge of the table, the sound echoing around the quiet library. "Perhaps a knife or something, or some kind of opening spell."

Hermione looked up from her book. "I don't think we should try anything without knowing what is going to happen when we get it opened. It might explode or cast some strange kind of spell over us. I think we should really consider what could happen before we do anything with it." Harry began to open his mouth to complain, but Hermione cut him off. "Look what happened to Dumbledore, Harry, and he knew what he was doing."

Harry sighed. "I don't want to sit here night after night looking for a way to destroy this thing. At this rate, we won't even get time to look for the other ones." He dangled the locket from his finger, staring at it in front of him. "There has to be an easy way to do this. There are three of us, and we are pretty good at magic. You are the best in Hogwarts, Hermione, that's got to count for something."

"And Lord Vol…" she paused briefly, "is one of the best wizards ever. Do you think he would do something that could be destroyed so easily? Look how paranoid he is to have done this in the first place. He murdered people so that he could survive. Does that sound like someone who doesn't take precautions?"

Harry slumped in his chair, his mood not getting any better. "Was not the location he hid it in precaution enough? Dumbledore almost died drinking that stuff that the locket was placed in. Why would he put a curse on the locket itself?"

Hermione looked at Harry as if he had just asked something stupid. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Flicking his focus between his two friends as each of them spoke, Ron finally interjected before they began seriously arguing again. "Look, we all know that You-know-who is paranoid, I say we give it a little thought before we try anything drastic. I don't want anything to happen to us. I say we keep looking."

"We are running out of time." Harry's voice rose angrily, as he stood up from his chair, pushing it back along the floor noisily. "If you don't want to help me then go back to Hogwarts and I'll do it on my own. The longer it takes us to destroy these things, the more chance he has of winning. And I will not let him win, even if it kills me stopping him, I won't let him win."

"Having a little patience is not letting him win, it's making sure you don't die in the process." Hermione was getting angry, even more so as the image of her dream once more came up to haunt her at his words. "Why do you always have to act as if we don't have your best interest in mind? We care about you. The last thing we want is to see you get hurt."

Ron sighed heavily, a frown creasing his brow as he watched his failure. "Now is not the time…"

Harry cut him off in mid flow and glared at Hermione. "And why do you always have to act as if you know what is best for everyone? I need to do this and I need to do it now. You can read these books until you are blue in the face and you will never find the answer." He brushed his hand over the surface of the table, knocking several of the books onto the floor. "The answer is not here. We can come back every day for a year and we will not find a way to destroy this thing." He held up the locket in his hand dramatically.

"Well, that is certainly the way to go about helping, isn't it? Grow up, Harry." Hermione got up from her chair and moved around the table, stooping to pick up the fallen books, just to have Harry place his foot on top of them. She looked up at him angrily. "Stop being so infantile."

"Infantile?" Harry laughed unpleasantly, and turned to Ron. "Did you hear that, Ron? Hermione is calling me childish using one of her fancy words." He looked back at the young witch before him, and crouched down beside her, his foot still resting on the book. "You can be so irritating at times."

Hermione glared at Harry, whose face was only inches from her own, sneering at her. "We don't have time for this, Harry. Remove your foot."

"No!" He growled at her, his hand tightening around the locket that he still held in his hand. "I said we don't need them."

Ron moved over to where they stood. "Sshh, you need to be quiet, you'll attract attention." He looked over at the door as if he expected it to swing open any minute. "This is not the time or the place for this discussion. Let's go!"

"Shut up, Ron!" Harry and Hermione shouted at him together.

Doing as he was told, Ron took a step back, leaving them to it, as he moved over to the entrance to the room, and placed his ear on the door, listening for any sounds of movement outside.

"I've had enough of this." Hermione rose from the floor, feeling her body shaking with anger. She had only been trying to help, not that Harry was ever in any mood to listen anymore. He seemed to snap at the tiniest thing, especially with her. "Do what you want."

Turning her back on him, she began to walk away when she felt his hand on her arm, grabbing at her, stopping her movement. "Thank you for granting your permission, Miss Granger." He spun her around to towards him, his eyes falling on her face, which appeared in the low light to have tears rolling down her face. He stood looking at her for a moment, unable to speak.

Both stood for a moment just looking at each other, their anger causing their breaths to sound ragged and loud in the now quiet library. "Hermione?" Harry's voice was oddly soft and full of concern. "Damn this thing!"

Pulling his arm back rapidly, he threw the locket through the air, releasing it into the air. He was angry that once again he had caused his friend to hurt when he knew that she was thinking of him and his wellbeing. He frowned heavily, as he watched the golden oval and chain, which seemed to resemble a comet arching through the library, smash against the wall with a loud metal clank.

"I'm sorry…" Harry began, before suddenly the library was thrown into darkness, the light from the wands extinguished without warning. The sound of the chain wrapping around itself on the floor breaking the silence.

"Harry…" Ron's voice came at them from his position by the door, strangely eerie in the pitch blackness of the room. "I don't think you should have done that."


	9. Chapter 9: Shadows and a Dark Place

**Chapter 9**

**Shadows and a Dark Place**

The darkness hung heavy in the library, almost as if it had caused life to be extinguished and time to stop. It was an unnatural blackness, seeming to steal even the tiniest speck of light from existence, throwing the world into a realm that it would not wish to remain in for long. Minutes passed, the low ticking of the clock in the hall counting away the seconds as the night continued, devoid of distinctions and points of reference. The library had never been so dark.

Nor quiet. The crash of the locket against the wall had not only taken the visibility from the room, it had also removed all sound from within the four walls of the Black's library. The gentle creaking of floorboards had ceased, the rustle and movements from the more ferocious books had died down. For a moment it seemed that time and motion had left the area, a dead room, devoid of life.

"What's happening?" Ron's whispered voice came through the darkness, startling Hermione as his voice reached her ears, breaking the eerie silence. "I can't see anything."

Beside her, she could hear Harry's feet scuffle against the floor. "None of us can," Harry replied, his voice little more then a whisper. "Do you have your wand?"

Hermione almost leapt into the air, as she felt something brush against her arm, causing her to let out a little squeal.

"What's the matter?" Ron asked, his voice rising with concern, as it drifted over from his place by the door.

A whisper from Harry curtailed her fears. "Sorry…I didn't mean to startle you. I was trying to find where you were."

Hermione smiled to herself, feeling her anxiety momentarily decrease, as she turned in the direction she assumed the door was in, based on where Ron's voice seemed to be coming from. "It's nothing. Harry just walked into me in the dark." She called over to where Ron was standing, hearing him sighing loudly with relief.

"We really could use some light." Harry's voice could once more be heard breaking through the darkness, a bodiless voice adding to the strange atmosphere in the room. "Do you have your wand, Ron?" He shouted, sounding more anxious with every passing second.

"I'll get mine." Turning slightly, Hermione began to feel in front of her, her arms outstretched to stop her walking into the objects around the room, her location in relation to the table had been forgotten during the row with Harry, and now in the dark she had a basic idea that she was close. Also she knew that there were several books on the floor, and she wanted to make sure she did not go sprawling across the ground.

Her hands brushed against the edge of the table, as her fingers began to trace over the surface, feeling out the shapes of the books that were scattered over it. She knew that her wand was positioned in the centre, where it had been casting a glow over the pages that she had been reading. "Accio!" She spoke softly, feeling the thin wooden object press into her hand.

Before she could say the spell to illuminate her wand, a faint glow seemed to light up the room. She let out a small sigh as she turned ready to thank the quicker of Harry and Ron. Unfortunately, as she faced back away from the table, her eyes were focused upon the source of the light, which was emitting from neither Harry nor Ron's wand.

"What the…?" Hermione started, cut off by her own thoughts, as she watched a thin sliver of light escape from the locket, which seemed to have cracked open following its adventure with the wall. "Harry…?" She stammered, unable to say any more.

Ron gasped from his location, drawing Hermione's attention away from locket to the face of the young wizard. "Crikey, Harry." He took a step forward, now that he was able to walk without risk. "What have you done?" His movements were slow, but he made a steady path closer to the glowing object.

"Ron, stay away!" Harry's voice permeated the air, which was turning a strange colour as the light from the locket changed from a low golden glow to a brighter yellow, moving through the spectrum causing shadows to grow ever more defined.

Bending down, Ron's hand clasped the golden oval, cupping it in his palm, before holding it out in front of him. "You broke the seal. We should be able to open it now." He examined the locket, turning it over in his hand, as he watched the beam of light move about the room like a torch, highlighting then casting back into darkness various parts of the room. "Give me something to pry it open."

"Ron, put it down!" Harry was sounding ever more aggrieved as he watched his friend.

Hermione looked at Ron and felt her stomach twist. "Ron, drop it!"

Ron stood for a moment, looking between Harry and Hermione, when suddenly he let out a loud yelp of pain, before the sound to clanking resounded around the library as the locket once more made contact with the floor.

"What happened?" Hermione cried, her eyes reflecting the fear in her voice.

Ron looked down at his hand. "It got hot." His gaze rose and found hers. "Very hot." He took a step back, shaking away the pain in his hand, suddenly wary of the metal object that lay against the floor, the light from its crack splayed against the wall in an ominous pattern, which seemed to come alive, dancing across the surface.

"I don't like this." Harry's gaze flicked around the room, as if he was searching for something. "Ron, get away from there!"

Suddenly the room was thrown into pitch blackness, the three friends once more unable to see beyond their noses. Their breath echoed around the room, as silence descended as rapidly as the light had vanished. Somewhere from behind them, a low whistling sound began to grow, like the passing of a breeze through the leaves of a tree, growing in strength as the cause drew closer to where the trio was standing.

Coming from all sides of the room, Hermione spun around trying to figure what was making the sound, the cause becoming clear as thuds began to follow the wispy echoes. "It's the books!" She called out, her voice loud in the relative silence of the room.

"Are you sure?" Ron called out, his voice growing ever closer, as he edged his way back from the locket, wanting to put some distance between him and the Horcrux. Hermione could tell from the tilt in his tone that he was hurting where the locket had burnt him.

Hermione held out her wand, instantly the tip illuminating the air before her, not managing to punch its way very far through the mystical blackness that filled the room. She turned just in time to watch as one of the books on the table flipped open its front cover, before furiously flicking through the pages until the back cover slammed shut moments before the book was tossed through the air to land with a large thud.

"What is it?" Harry cried out, his own eyes focused on the scene playing out before him. "It's like someone is looking for something."

"I think it's found it." Suddenly one of the tomes burst into an orange glow of flames, falling to the floor, amidst a pile of already discarded books that lay scattered over the floor, the brightness of the fire, bringing the far side of the library into view. "We've got to put it out."

"I think we have bigger problems."

Harry and Hermione turned their attention from the fire at Ron's words and gazed towards the opposite wall, where the locket lay. There before there eyes was brilliant white light, pulsing with a strange echo, almost like Morse code, as the room grew brighter and brighter, until the three occupants could watch no more, their eyes blinking shut before the whiteness ate into their retinas.

The three stood, their eyes closed against the scene, their wands held instinctively out before them, unable to do anything or speak, waiting as if trapped in some sort of time freeze. Their minds working but their bodies were unable to respond to the orders being sent.

"We have to destroy it!" Harry's voice tore through the room, breaking the hold that the light had upon them.

"We don't know how!" Hermione cried out, as she suddenly turned towards the table, scrabbling for the last book she had been reading.

Harry's voice rose. "We don't have time to look now!"

Before any of them could make another move, a terrifying scream filled the library, coming from everywhere at once, assaulting their ears, as the light battered their eyes. Their hands moved to their ears, trying to block out the sound, before it perforated their eardrums.

The smash that followed was emphasised by the blinding light that filled every corner of the room, looking as if the sun had suddenly risen, not just in the sky but in the library itself. The trio of wizards and witch crouched to the floor, as around them the air became full of flying debris, books and other objects whizzing over their heads.

Hermione cried out as a book slammed into her body, winding her, as she curled into a ball, protecting herself from further injury. Around her she could hear Harry and Ron coming under similar assault. "We have to do something!" She shouted, trying to be heard over the noise.

Then blackness once more descended upon the room. The clatter of books and other objects replaced the scream, before silence dominated again. This time, the air felt electric, as if something new was lurking in the shadows, just out of sight. Waiting and watching, assessing and planning.

Hermione opened her eyes, her hands moving from her ears as she looked about her. A falling book crashed against her arm, catching her by surprise, knocking her wand out of her fingers, the sound of it hitting the floor not giving away its new location. She moaned audibly, her frustration and fear battling it out to control her body, neither helping with the situation. Her hand reached out before her, fingers stretched and ready to receive. "Acc…" She never finished as her gaze was drawn to a floating figure, ghostly in the darkness.

"Voldemort!" Harry's voice tore through her like a curse as he uttered the word.

In the strange glow, Hermione could see her wand, her hand pointing towards it, as it flew into her grasp.

"Kill it!" Ron screamed, as fear and anger come from him.

"Keep him busy. I need a few minutes." Hermione raced around the table, her fingers falling on the book that still lay open, left at the page she had been reading.

"You are kidding?" Ron asked incredulously, as he raised his wand higher, ready to strike and ward off whatever came his way.

Hermione flicked through several pages. "Just keep it busy. I think I may have something."

"Hurry, Hermione!" Harry called as he released a spell at the phantom Voldemort that hovered just before them, floating carefree in the air.

Then without warning, it swooped forward, rushing over their heads, heading for the back of the library, fanning the flames of the fire that were steadily growing over the pile of fallen books. It stopped suddenly, its ghostly shape appearing to dance in the flicking flames of orange glow. Eyes grew intense, evil centre of the being illuminated in its gaze, a soul on show for those before him to see, as it took on a green hue, flicking over with spasms of black.

"Hermione!" Ron's voice was shrill as he watched the shape rush over the library, bursting through the air, the green shape like a comet racing over the night air. Its path was aimed at Ron, focused intensely upon the red headed young wizard, whose eyes were as wide as saucers.

The green glow, its shape almost lost in the speed of its movements, rammed into Ron, and passed straight through his body, before it began to swirl around him, spinning faster and faster, as Ron screamed and attempted to put his wand to use. As he opened his mouth to let out another cry, the spirit of Voldemort muffled the sound as it seeped quickly into him, disappearing inside the young man.

Harry and Hermione, who had stopped her reading as the soul had rushed Ron, stared open mouthed, their wands ready but now unable to do anything through fear of hurting someone they both cared about dearly.

"We've got to do something," Hermione shouted as she found her voice, her eyes never leaving the young man before her.

"I don't know what to do," Harry replied. "Damn it!" He raised his wand, his eyes flashing with anger.

"Harry, no!" Hermione pushed Harry's hand aside, as a bolt flashed out of the end, searing the wall a metre from where Ron was standing, a strange glow spreading over his body.

A scream ripped through the air, chilling and foreboding, a scream of pain. A pain beyond anything that any of them had heard before, and it was the sound of someone familiar. Before their eyes, Ron's body began to twitch and shudder as he rose slowly from the floor, suspended before their eyes. He became still, as another scream filled the room, echoing off the walls and resounding in a sickening symphony to the young witch and wizard's ears.

Almost as one, their wands were raised and were ready to fire when Hermione's voice broke through the screaming, barely heard above the noise. "Petrificus Totalus." The words barely passed her lips before Ron's body froze before her then fell heavily to the ground, a thud bringing the room back into total silence.

Harry rushed over to where Ron was lying, crouching down beside his friend, his hand outstretched just above his body. "Don't touch him!" Hermione's words ceased the motion of his hand.

"Ron?" Harry's voice quivered as he looked at his friend, seeing the red haired Weasley lying prone on the floor, his face frozen into a silent cry of torment. "You stopped it, Hermione." He grinned at her, as he rose from the floor. "Now we have to get it out…"

The room filled with a bright light, causing the two standing Hogwarts students to shield their eyes, turning away from their fallen friend. Swirling around their heads, fast and furious, Voldemort's bodiless soul swooped and rose, as the air around Harry and Hermione chilled dramatically.

"Throw whatever you can at it, Harry." Hermione shouted as she dashed over to the stricken Ron. "Any spell you can think of…use it." She crouched beside the fallen boy, her hand checking rapidly for signs, her fingers seeking and searching as she silently released him from her spell, hearing him gasp in air now that he was free of the intruder. "Are you alright?"

Ron looked up at her, and nodded slightly, a small crooked smile on his face. "I'm fi…Aaaahhhhhhhhhh!" His back arched, his body began to convulse, spasms rushing over his skin, his flesh beneath acting in a strange and unusual manner. His eyes were wide and glowed an eerie green as he started to shake, his mouth opened and closed as if fighting for air. He rose slightly from the ground, his body spinning and shaking as the room filled with an ear splitting laugh.

The apparition flicked around the room, before stopping above Ron's who was slowing growing grey as a white wispy smoke seeped out of his mouth towards the ghostly Dark Lord, his lips opening and closing as if he was trying to speak, his eyelids slowly began to close over his eyes.

"Harry, do something!" Hermione screamed, her wand aiming and shooting several spells at the ghostly shape of Voldemort, but did nothing more than disappear through his body. "He's going to kill Ron!"

Harry, whose wand was working as hard as Hermione's, looked at his friend with a look of hopelessness on his features.

Behind them, the door suddenly burst open, and the familiar faces of Lupin and Tonks burst into the room, their wands ready to face intruders that had drawn their attention with the screaming and crashing that had filled the library. Both stopped suddenly as they came face to face with something they had not expected.

"What the…?" Lupin began, his keen eyes and sharp senses taking in the scene. His wand was already up and beginning to throw spells at the ghostly shape.

Tonks, her eyes blazing almost as brightly as her hair, shot off to the other side of the library, but before she had taken more than a few steps, she was stopped abruptly by her collision with the flying body of Ron, which had been thrust through the air by the apparition of the Dark Lord, whose form seemed to have become more solid. Struggling to free herself from under the prone body, she screeched with horror as she looked into the face of the young wizard, lifeless, grey and frozen into a scream of terror.

"No! Ron!" Hermione screamed, her voice echoing off the walls, resounding through the room, like a chorus of doom.

The three standing wizards were focusing spell after spell at the once more moving shape, which fly over to the other side of the room, its feet sounding on the ground as it gained substance. His laughter filled the room, chilling the air to almost freezing. Harry, Hermione and Lupin spun round, facing their adversary with raised wands, as Tonks attempted to push the dead body of Ron off of her.

Everything stopped, sound, movement, as the protagonists stood staring at each other, watching and waiting, their minds running through every spell they knew. The soft thud near Tonks indicated her success at freedom, and it was just as she was rising from the floor that the huge crashing sound rented through the air, before the wall to their right exploded into chunks, that flew like missiles towards the wizards, catching them by surprise.

Harry and Hermione, wands at the ready, managed to fend off harm, but Lupin and Tonks' proximity to the wall, caused them to be buried under the rubble, as the ceiling above them, no longer held up by the wall, crumpled in upon them.

"Remus! Tonks!" Harry's voice carried through the cavernous area, echoing through the house.

"Harry, do what you can with Voldemort, I'll see if I can…" Hermione's voice was cut off as another huge crashing sound stole her words away. Thrusting her wand upwards, she called out the spell, illuminating the space above her, as a huge crack rushed along the plaster above her head.

Dust and debris floated through the air, beginning to settle, as an unerring sound reverberated around them, the sound of laughter growing, almost as if in stereo, as the ghostly Voldemort moved slowly towards them. But the voice was not right, it sounded as if it was coming from two places, it was then that the four eyes of the two young wizards turned towards the rubble that had once been the library wall. There standing amidst the dust and debris, the street outside behind him, was another Lord Voldemort, this one surrounded by familiar and unfamiliar faces, faint pops coming from behind him as more and more Death Eaters apparated into view.

Before anyone could speak, Harry's wand was raised and pointing at the Dark Lord, the anger in his eyes evident. Before he could release a spell, the air around them flashed with a series of attacks that the two young wizards managed to ward off, as they dash apart to either side of the room, ducking down behind some chunks of masonry that once stood as part of the wall.

"Harry! What are we going to do?" Hermione shouted across to where her friend was crouched.

"Take as many with us as we can." Harry's voice was steady, but dripping with barely concealed anger. "I want Voldemort."

Hermione ducked her head, as a flash of light zapped over her head, missing her by inches. "We need help," she said, sounding as if she had already admitted defeat. As she looked about her, she fell deadly silent, her eyes flicking around the scene, as its familiarity seeped into her conscious_. It's my dream. This is just like my dream._ Her eyes darted around her, risking a look over the top of her of the masonry that was shielding her.

"Harry…" She began but did not finish, as the wall to their left suddenly erupted into a pile of rubble, thrust inwards towards where Voldemort and his cronies were standing or were standing, as they dashed in various directions to avoid being crushed by the falling debris.

"Move!" Harry's voice reached her, full of urgency as above them the ceiling began to buckle and creak as bits of plaster began to pepper their heads. "Come on!" He dashed towards the new opening in the side of the building that lead out into the hall. "C'mon, Hermione!" He yelled at her as he disappeared through the hole.

As he stepped through, a pulse of magic pounded through the gap, filling the library with a crisscross of spells, as the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort countered whoever was attacking them from inside.

Managing somehow to sidestep the magical missiles Hermione ducked through the hole, a hand grabbing her as she appeared, pulling her off to the left.

There standing inside Twelve Grimmauld Place were the figures of several members of the Order of the Phoenix, their wands all raised and firing spell upon spell at those inside the house. Professor McGonagall managed to give both the Hogwarts' student a less than impressed glare before her attention was once more taken with the task at hand. Grabbing some air, Harry and Hermione prepared to join forces with the Order members as they battled to keep the attackers under control.

The familiar sound of Molly Weasley's voice rang through the air. "Where is Ron?" She looked about her, staring at the hole. "And Remus and…" She was interrupted by a volley of spells at that pummelled passed them.

"Still inside," Harry replied, deciding now was not the time to elaborate on what had happened.

Hermione looked at Mrs Weasley, her eyes sparkling with tears that the other woman mistook for dust and worry. "How did you know to come here?"

"Tonks sent word of an intruder." Mrs Weasley began, before pulling herself and Hermione out of the line of a stray spell. "We thought You-Know…You-Know-Who had found our Headquarters." She stammered out as she watched the action around them. "We've no idea how he found the house." She cried over the growing crashing and banging that came from the library, as she tried to peek in for a sign of her son.

Hermione did not have the nerve to tell her that the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters had probably been drawn when they broke the seal of the Horcrux and had released what had been waiting inside.

Before either could say anything else, Harry dashed off down the hall towards the back of the house, just as the Order began to fiercely attack the hole, while slowly and carefully, they began to edge towards the gaping new entrance into the Black's library. Hermione flicked her eyes between the advancing group and the disappearing back of Harry, deciding in seconds she had no other choice but to follow her friend. She had seen one die already; she did not want anything to happen to the other.

Molly could be heard shouting, "Harry! Hermione!" as the young woman left her standing, before Mrs Weasley's attention was taken by more important matters.

The sounds of battle and screams could be heard filling the night sky, although at times it seemed like the dawn had broken as flashes tore around the house, soaring overhead like a firework display. The air outside seemed to bite at Hermione's skin, feeling colder than normal as she rushed out of the back door, knowing that Harry was planning on facing Lord Voldemort. The house was of a good size, and as she reached the back garden, she looked both left and right, but could not see any trace of the Boy-who-lived.

"Harry!" She cried, as behind her the sound of battle increased.

Looking back and forth, she ran, her eyes flicking around her, her wand at the ready. She had several spells on the tip of her tongue, just waiting for someone to step in front of her, trying to stop her progress. She had to find him before he did something stupid. Harry could not face two Voldemorts on his own, she was not sure he was prepared to face one.

Coming around to the front of the house, Hermione stopped in wonder at the carnage and destruction that lay before her. Already there were bodies strewn around, and not just those of people she did not know. Her gaze flicked over the ground, searching for Harry, her heart pounding loudly in her chest, as she saw one of the Death Eaters turned towards her, his wand raised. His lips moved silently, but he was too slow to finish before Hermione's wand flashed a burst of power at his chest, sending him flying dead towards the ground. Her hand shook as she heard him thud against the floor, her attention moving to the others around her.

Suddenly she saw them, Harry and Voldemort near the other side of the house, standing opposite each other, like two characters from the Wild West meeting at high noon. Harry had apparently chosen the opposite direction to the young witch. Above their heads, the apparition of the Dark Lord floated around, almost like a beacon to their whereabouts. Without warning, their duel started; each one casting spell and counter-spell at the other, attracting attention from those around them.

Hermione's heart sank, as the vision before her resembled the scene she had witnessed in her sleep. _It isn't going to end like that. He isn't going to die!_ Her thoughts yelled at her, as she began moving quickly towards where the two of them fought, several Death Eaters standing in her way, fighting their own battles to stay alive.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed, attracting the attention of several of Lord Voldemort's servants, which at least distracted their attention from the Chosen One and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Around her spells began to fly, but she was ready for them and managed to hold her own, as several members of the Order appeared through the makeshift exit to the house, and began to help her push them back from the duel. Sure that the three could manage to hold the Death Eaters on their own, she rushed on towards the dark haired wizard who had become an important part of her life over the last six years.

She stopped suddenly, as before her eyes Harry froze before being tossed into the air like a rag doll, hitting the ground and bouncing slightly at the force of impact. "Harry! No!" She screamed as she ran towards him, her feet tangling with the bodies of the fallen that lay upon the ground between her and her friend.

Her hands and knees scraped heavily against the floor, tearing at her soft flesh, as she fell to the floor. The burning and stinging sensation flooded over her, as she picked herself up, trickles of blood running down her limps as she ran to where Harry Potter lay. The sickening position in which his body lay told her instantly that he would never open his eyes again.

Throwing herself onto the ground beside him, she pulled his body into her arms, tears trickling down her face, splashing on the skin of the young man who lay dead in her arms. "I'm sorry, Harry. There is so much I never got to tell…"

The sound of laughter ripped her attention from Harry, her eyes gazing up at the Dark Lord as he approached. Her wand was already up but not quick enough as the force of an unseen spell tore through her, snatching her breath and stilling her body. As her life ebbed away, her gaze caught sight of a hooded figure behind him, standing off into the distance.

_Professor Stygian...?_

The thought died with Hermione, as she slipped into blackness.

>>>>

"No!"

Hermione sat up in bed, her eyes blinking rapidly as she fought to stop the tears that threatened to fall. Her body shook, as a bead of sweat rolled down her face. The image before her remained strikingly clear as she fought to remove it from her mind. The air felt cold against her skin, as she hugged her arms around herself. Slowly her eyes focused on her surroundings, and it was with a sigh that she found herself in her bed in the girl's dorm of Hogwarts, having woken from a nightmare.

* * *

_A/N: This story is not all it seems. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me or use my forums, the link of with is on my profile page. Also, there is unlikely to be another update until Sunday, as I really need to get on with the writing of furture chapters._


	10. Chapter 10: Back to Square One

**Chapter 10**

**Back to Square One**

Blinking away the last remnants of her dream, Hermione looked around her, the still night broken only by the sleeping breaths of her room mates. A quick look at each of the beds revealed the other girls to be safely locked in their own unconscious worlds. She wished that she was still drifting pleasantly through her own, but the thought of closing her eyes made her shiver even more. Not wanting to slip back into the nightmare that she had just left, Hermione pulled back her covers and sat on the edge of her bed, the oppressive darkness around her not easing her feelings of dread.

Climbing out of the bed, she gathered her robe and wand, and headed silently out of the door, creeping silently down the staircase that would lead to the common room. More than anything she wanted to have a little light that would push away the darkness that seemed to be enveloping her, causing her to shiver despite the extra layer of clothing that she now had wrapped around her body. The cold chill of death lingered from her dream, and it was that along with the image of Harry that haunted her waking mind.

Reaching the common room, Hermione headed straight over to the fireplace, and a short spell later, the fire in the grate once more roared to life, filling the room with a warm orange glow, that began to banish the night from the room. Around her shadows danced on the wall, but she paid them no attention as she moved over to one of the chairs and settled down in it, making herself comfortable.

Her gaze fixed on the flames, as they moved hypnotically, entrancing and casting their spell, until they took on familiar shapes and there in the fire were the silhouettes of Harry and Lord Voldemort facing each other wands at the ready. She closed her eyes shut, but the images continued to move in front of her. However hard she tried, the replay of the end of her dream would not be banished from her mind.

A soft footfall sounded on the stairs to the boy's dormitory, but still she remained lost in her thoughts, her back facing towards the direction the noise was coming from. As the owner of the footsteps drew closer, Hermione remained transfixed to the orange glow.

"Can you not sleep, Harry?" Hermione asked, not looking towards the new arrival.

Harry opened his mouth to speak and blinked, as he stood for a moment, lost for words. "Wow, Hermione. Have you been practicing Divination?"

"Harry!" Her voice echoed around the quiet room, as she came to her senses and jumped up out of her chair and wrapped her arms around him. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she finally had proof that what she had seen was only a figment of her imagination, and Harry Potter was not lying dead on the ground outside Grimmauld Place.

"Whoa, Hermione!" Harry grinned, slightly surprised by her greeting, before she unwrapped her arms from around him and took a step back, her cheeks growing darker in the low light of the fire.

"I…ah…" Hermione looked at him, fighting to find the words she needed to explain her behaviour, but she could find none that seemed suitable, so she fell silent and just looked at her friend as he stared at her, looking more than a little puzzled by events. "I couldn't sleep," she finished feebly. "What are you doing awake?"

Harry walked over to the other chair that stood in front of the fire and dropped down into it. "I couldn't sleep either." He let out a low sigh. "It doesn't feel the same here anymore not since…"

"Not since Dumbledore died." Hermione finished for him, as she settled down into the chair opposite him.

Harry stared at her dumbly. "Yeah." He paused for a moment, and frowned. "Are you sure you haven't been practicing Divination?"

"What?" Hermione asked, her features creasing in puzzlement as she tried to make sense of what he was talking about.

"That's twice now." Harry looked at her curiously. "First you know it's me coming down the stairs without even looking and just now you finished my sentence for me." He paused for a moment. "And you always said you were bad at Divination."

Shaking her head, Hermione continued to stare blankly at the young wizard. "Just lucky, I guess." She pondered for a moment then spoke again. "Although, I'm having this strange feeling…but it's nothing." She shook the thought away, as she flicked her hair behind her ear, and pulled her robe around her body. "I'm sorry you are having such a hard time settling back in, Harry. We knew it wouldn't be the same without Professor Dumbledore here to…" She let her words trail off.

"What are we going to do without him?" Harry let out a sigh. "He knew what we had to do. He knew everything." He fiddled with the edge of his own robe that covered his pyjama clad body. "How can I do this without him? I don't even know where to start."

"We are here for you." Hermione leant forward in her chair and took his hand in hers, before he snatched it back out of her grasp. "Harry?"

She watched as he rose from his chair, turning his back on her as he moved over to the fire and gazed into the living flame. "I don't want your help. I've lost too many who have already tried." Harry's temper was visible in the tone of his voice, as his body grew rigid. "I can't…"

"You aren't going to lose us." Hermione stood up and walk over to him, her hand tentatively place upon his shoulder, feeling him tremble at her touch. She fell silent, unable to speak, unable to find the right words to make everything right. There was so much she wanted to say and do, to tell Harry how much she and Ron cared for him and that they would be there for him. "We will always be here, whether you want us or not. We care about you too much…" She faltered, her brow creasing slightly as she fell silent.

Harry turned and looked at her, concern filling his eyes. "What is it, Hermione?"

Hermione's hand slipped off his shoulder and hung loosely down by her side. "Harry, have you ever had a feeling of…?" She sighed heavily and shook her head, silently berating herself.

"A feeling of what?" He asked, his voice rising questioningly.

"Nothing. It's silly." Hermione gave him a smile, as she pulled her robe around her to ward of the shivers that flooded her body. She caught the look on his face which showed that he was not convinced that the conversation should be brushed aside so quickly, but he did not press it further. "We should try to get some sleep."

"You go. I won't be able to sleep." Harry moved back to the chair and sat himself down.

Hermione frowned and looked at him stubbornly, secretly pleased that he was willing to stay up as she did not think that she could face her nightmare again that night. "If you aren't going, I'm not going to try either." She sat herself down in her own chair and looked over at him. "We could use the time researching for clues to the possible location of the Horcruxes."

"You really don't need to stay with me. I'm not going to do anything foolish, you know." He grinned at her, his eyes revealing his gratitude for her company. "Where should we start?"

"That's easy…at the beginning." She smiled and waved her wand in the direction of a pile of books and parchment that rested on a nearby table, and silently spoke the word 'Accio', bringing the items over to where she and Harry sat.

>>>>

Having been unceremoniously woken by a startled Ron, who came down into the common room and found his two friends asleep, their laps full of books while used pieces of parchment with strange line diagrams lay on the floor at their feet, Harry and Hermione glanced at the back of the young wizard as he disappeared through the hole leading into the main body of the school, the room falling into complete silence as the students made their way to breakfast.

Looking at Harry, Hermione laughed as Harry held his hands over his grumbling stomach that had been making a noise since breakfast had been mentioned. He frowned comically and let his gaze fix to her face. "I think Ron was right, we'd better hurry." He grinned and made his way to the stairs leading to the boys' dorms. Stopping, he turned and looked at her. "Thank you for last night, Hermione."

She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "It was nothing, I enjoyed the company. It kept away the night…" Her voice stopped as her eyes grew wide at her slip.

Harry frowned and moved back towards her, his eyes searching her face. "Why didn't you say you had a nightmare last night?" He stopped for a moment, cutting her off before she could answer. "Is that what you thought was silly?"

"No…and yes." Hermione stammered, not really prepared for such questions. "But it was just a bad dream, and I really did not want to pile such a silly little thing on top of all the troubles you have been having." She gave him a small smile, hoping that would be an end to the conversation.

"If you are having bad dreams, you can talk to me about them. We are friends, and I am here for you as much as you are here for me." Harry grinned and watched her flinch as he used her own argument against her. "I don't want you to hide things from me and I know Ron would not want you to."

Hermione nodded, her smile growing. "I'll tell you about it after breakfast. You really need to eat something." As if to prove her point, Harry's stomach let out another grumble.

"Yeah, we should." He laughed. "I'll see you back down here in a minute."

Nodding her head, Hermione watched as Harry turned and disappeared. She stood for a moment, staring at the space that he had just vacated, berating herself for letting slip about the dream. She knew it was not that important, people had bad dreams all the time, but there was something about this one that was haunting her. A shiver rushed over her as the last scene replayed itself to her, before she headed off to the girls' dorm to get dressed.

>>>>

As they walked into the great hall, Hermione turned towards the Head table where all the teachers sat. In the centre seat, usually occupied by Dumbledore sat Professor McGonagall, which still shocked the young witch despite them being in the school and witnessing it the day before. Her eyes ran along the occupants of the seats, her mind not failing to notice the obvious absence of Professor Snape and his replacement, who was yet to arrive at the school. Hermione turned and watched Harry as he walked over to the Gryffindor table, not sparing a look around him at all.

Ron greeted them with a smile, and waved his sausage pronged fork as they settled into the seats. "I thought you weren't going to make it." He brought the food to his mouth and took a bite, giving up on conversation for a moment.

"Harry's stomach wouldn't let him miss breakfast." Hermione gave Ron a pleasant smile as she began to select a few items from the array of dishes that were dotted in front of them. She looked over at her two friends in time to see Harry finish whispering something to Ron, before they both stared at her without saying a word. She returned their gaze but decided to shrug it off as she began to tuck into her breakfast, realising just how hungry she was.

As she chewed thoughtfully, her eyes once more found the professors' table, her gaze gliding over the line until she finally stopped on Hagrid, who was looking completely out of sorts, and worse than she could ever remember seeing him. "Hagrid looks terrible." She lowered her fork, suddenly disinterested in eating. "We really need to cheer him up." She stared for a moment, watching as the gentle giant played absentmindedly with his food.

Following her gaze, Ron looked over at Hagrid and frowned. "Losing Dumbledore and Aragog has hit him really hard." He lowered his fork, seeking out its next victim. "I don't know what…"

"Speak to him, Harry, before he leaves." Hermione cut Ron off.

Harry looked at Hagrid and then back at Hermione. "He's not leaving. He's eating his break…"

The two wizards stared in wonder as suddenly Hagrid pushed back his chair and rose to his feet, heading without a word to anyone towards the door of the Great Hall. Harry turned to Hermione, as Ron continued to watch open mouthed. "What has got into you, Hermione?" He asked incredulously.

"What do you mean?" Hermione replied, knowing full well what he was referring to, but not wanting to get into a discussion about it.

"What do I mean? You know what I mean. Last night and now this morning, you seem to be predicting things that are going to happen." Harry turned his attention back to the empty chair left by Hagrid. "How did you know he was going to leave?"

Hermione looked at him and shrugged. "I didn't know he was going to leave. It was just lucky timing." She frowned and turned her attention back to her food.

"Has this got anything to do with your nightmare, Hermione?" Ron's voice drew her attention to him.

"My nightmare?" Hermione looked at Ron then shot a glaring look at Harry. "Why did you tell him about that?"

Harry shrugged, looking a little hurt and confused. "I didn't realise it was a secret."

Hermione sighed and shook her head. "I'll tell you about it later, I have to get to class. I'll see you back in the common room." She gave them both a frustrated glance and rose from the bench, and walked away from the table, not having to look back to know that the two of them were whispering about her.

Barely reaching the door, she heard the rush of footsteps behind her and continued though the door and into the hallway before she slowed her steps, as she heard a voice calling out to her.

"Hermione!" Ginny Weasley approached smiling oddly, with a questioning look in her eyes. "How's Harry?"

The older witch smiled at Ginny and shrugged. "It's hard to tell. You know Harry." She paused for a moment, feeling pity for the girl standing before her. She had had a tough time during the summer, but at least that had ended when Harry left the Burrow and returned to Grimmauld Place, back at school he was a constant reminder. "He's having a bad time at the moment, what with everything that has happened. He's taking it badly."

Ginny nodded her head sadly. "Yeah.

"I have to get to class." Hermione pointed off in the vague direction of the Arithmancy class. "We'll talk later, okay?"

Without another word, the two young women smiled at each other, before Hermione turned and headed towards the staircase that would take her to her first class of the day. Behind her, she could feel the eyes of Ron's sister following her progress. Sighing to herself, Hermione knew that the day was not going to be a good one.

>>>>

Stepping passed the Fat Lady Portrait, Hermione returned to the Gryffindor house room, glad that at least she had one class out of the way, not that she was sure attending had actually been worthwhile as she had struggled to stay focused on the lesson. Her mind had wandered several times to things that had happened, and she had spent too much time trying to persuade herself to forget about her dream. Each time she attempted it she found herself gazing into the lifeless face of Harry Potter as he rested in her arms.

"So, what were you and Hermione doing last night?" Ron's voice reached her ears as she approached her two friends unseen by either of them. He did not sound at all pleased at finding them sleeping in the chairs that morning.

Harry sighed. "I told you, Ron. I couldn't sleep and she couldn't sleep following the nightmare," he repeated for the hundredth time that hour. "We talked and did some research into…"

"And you just fell asleep?" Ron interrupted.

"Yes, we just fell asleep." Hermione approached the two of them, perching herself on the arm of Ron's chair and smiling at Harry who sat opposite, her voice was dripping with contempt at Ron's question.

Ron looked up at Hermione. "Why didn't you tell me you had a nightmare?"

"Because you were asleep, Ron and she didn't tell me either. Not on purpose anyway." Harry shifted in his seat, closing the Dark Arts book that he had in his lap. "But next time, we'll be sure to walk you up." He began to rise from his seat, but a look from Hermione made him sit back down.

"What are you two doing?" Hermione smiled, as Harry settled back into his seat.

Picking up his book, Harry flashed the title at her. "We were just reading the next chapter for Dark Arts." He placed it back down onto his lap. "The new professor is meant to be there today."

Hermione nodded. "I'll leave you to it." She slipped off the arm of the chair and made to leave when she felt a restraint on her arm. Looking down, she saw Ron's fingers clasped around her wrist.

"I thought you were going to tell us about your dream," Ron asked, quickly letting go of her arm as she shot him a killer look.

Harry sat forward in his seat, looking more than a little interested. "The sooner you tell us, the sooner we stop asking." He smiled at her encouragingly.

Hermione flicked her eyes between the two of them and let out an audible sigh, indicating that she was telling them under duress, before settling herself back on the chair beside Ron, her gaze fixed once more onto Harry's face. She really was not looking forward to putting into words what she had seen, almost as if by repeating them it made everything seem more real. She shivered as a chill spread over her body, reminding her of death's touch, her eyes filling with sadness.

"I don't remember much, just the end." Hermione grimaced as the image swam before her eyes. "You were fighting…You-Know-Who, Harry, and the rest of us were in little fights of our own."

Ron looked up at her questioningly, a glimmer of interest in his eyes. "Who was I fighting?"

Hermione, without knowing why, felt saddened as he asked. It took her a moment before she could speak. "I don't remember who we were fighting, Ron, I just know that Harry was facing Lord…" She caught Harry's glance, her eyes reflecting more than she really cared to share.

"What happened?" Ron asked impatiently.

"I think I know." Harry replied for her, telling from the look on her face. "We lost, didn't we?"

Hermione continued to stare at Harry, nodding her head very slowly. "He…He…" Her voice petered out.

"Killed me?" Harry's question was answered with another nod.

A silence hung between the three for a moment, each looking between the others. Each was lost in his or her own thoughts, each wondering what it meant. Hermione wished more than anything that she could wind back time and not make the slip that had caused the conversation. If only she had been more careful the night before.

"It's just a dream, Harry. It doesn't mean anything." Her voice sounded unconvincing to her own ears. "We all have bad dreams, don't we?" She looked at Ron pleadingly, hoping for him to make everything right.

Ron nodded and grinned. "Sure we do, I had one the other day, when I was chased around the school by a giant chocolate frog." He shook his head and sighed. "That will teach me to eat them before bed. Mum is always saying it's not good to do so."

Hermione smiled at Ron, and looked at Harry, who still seemed deep in thought. "It's not important, Harry. It was just a silly dream."

Grinning, Harry picked up the book that rested in his lap and rose from his seat. "I just don't want you losing sleep over me." He flicked his gaze between his friends. "We'd better get to Dark Arts before we get into trouble with the new professor. I want to make a better impression with this one. I really don't need another Snape."

Hermione slipped off the arm of the chair, as Ron got to his feet. They looked at each other, neither overly convinced that Harry was not putting on an act. They gathered their things together as they watched the dark haired wizard reach and disappear through the door, before the two dashed after him.

>>>>

Hermione's eyes followed the new Dark Arts professor as she walked away from the desk that Hermione was sharing with Ron and Harry. The latter was still looking a little put out by the greeting that he had received from Professor Stygian. And the revelation that she was going to be the new Head of Gryffindor did not make any of the three friends the least bit comfortable.

As the professor moved over to the next desk, making the acquaintance of the other students, Ron leaned forward and whispered. "This is going to be a fun year." He frowned as he took a peek in the direction she had gone. "If looks could kill, we'd be dead now."

Nodding his head, Harry sighed. "She seems more suited to Slytherin. I'd give anything to have…"

"Have we met Professor Stygian before?" Hermione interrupted, her gaze following the woman around the room as she greeted each of the students in turn.

Harry shook his head. "I don't think so. Why?"

Before she could answer, Professor Stygian reached the front of the class room, standing once more in front of the blackboard, behind her the chalk falling away from its task of scribbling her name. "In the current climate, use of the Dark Arts has become more than essential…", the professor began with her lesson.

Hermione turned away from Professor Stygian, her eyes finding Harry's, her voice dropping so as not to be overheard. "I've seen her before, but I don't know where." She frowned, frustrated at herself.

"Maybe you saw her walking through Hogwarts, but you didn't know who she was." Ron whispered, keeping his voice down level with Hermione's.

"I don't think so."

Harry looked over at the professor as she continued talking to the class. "She is kind of scary, maybe you saw her in a nightmare." Harry chuckled softly to himself, joined in moments later by Ron.

Hermione's eyes flicked back to Professor Stygian, who seemed to be staring straight back at her. In her mind, the professor suddenly seemed to become far away, as before her stood the form of the Dark Lord himself. Realisation finally dawned as her eyes focused on the professor's face, before blackness descended…

>>>>

"Are you sure you are alright, Hermione?" Harry asked as the three headed back to the Gyffindor House room following the Dark Arts lesson.

Ron looked at Harry and then at Hermione. "It was strange you fainting like that."

"I think it was hot or something." Hermione shrugged, really not in the mood to be discussing her black out. Her mind was full of other things, especially her dream, which seemed to be the last thing she could remember before she woke up lying on the floor surrounded by Harry, Ron and Professor Stygian.

"It seemed to happen just as the professor looked at you," said Ron conversationally.

Harry nodded and grinned. "She really does have a frightening stare. I thought I was going to pass out when she first looked at me." He shook his head and shuddered slightly at the thought. "She even makes Snape seem pleasant." His eyes burnt with anger as he mentioned the name of Dumbledore's killer.

Looking more than a little confused, Hermione stopped walking, the others taking a couple more steps before they realised she was no longer with them. "Did she do anything? Like raise her wand at me or something?"

Harry shook his head, as he and Ron turned to face Hermione. "No, her wand was on the desk." He stared at her questioningly. "Why would she want to do something bad to you?" His face took on an expression of understanding. "Did you remember where you saw her before?"

Hermione fell silent, and shook her head. "No." She began to walk again, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Honestly, Harry, I have no idea. She just seemed familiar. I might have seen her in a yearbook or something." Hermione gave them both a smile and brushed passed them, shaking off Harry's hand, as she resumed her walk back to the common room. Behind her, Harry and Ron looked at each other before following after her, each lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

A/N: I know you will think you have read this chapter before, and although large chunks of it have the same speeches as stuff previously posted, it is newly written and there are differences, which relate to the story. If you want toask meabout the cheekiness of me doing this, please feel free to use my forum to do so if you want an answer. If you just want to whinge, stick it as a review. 


	11. Chapter 11: Walking in Footprints

**Chapter 11**

**Walking in Footprints**

Barely entering the common room, Hermione was approached by the youngest Weasley. She looked over to where Ron and Harry had settled, still discussing the homework that they had been given by Professor Stygian. Even from where she stood, she could hear them both whining about how much of their lives were going to be taken up with completing the reading assignment. She could not help but smile at Ron's comment. Turning, she faced Ginny, who was standing next to the table that the older witch had just placed her books on.

"Hello, Hermione." Ginny smiled awkwardly, as she met Hermione's gaze.

"Hello, Ginny." Hermione recalled their previous conversation earlier.

Ginny feel quiet for a moment, her eyes flicking over to where her brother stood with Harry, shuffling her feet slightly as she turned back to the older girl. "Hermione?" She smiled awkwardly. "Will you be around later? I really need someone to speak to."

Hermione paused for a moment. "Well, I…ah…I do have a lot of things on at the moment." She watched as the young woman's face fell, her eyes growing sad. Unable to go on, she nodded her head less than enthusiastically. "Yes, I'll be here. We can talk after dinner, if you'd like." She gave the young woman an encouraging smile, watching as her gaze once again fell on Harry.

"Thanks, Hermione." Ginny gave a large smile, her eyes sparkling with pleasure. Hugging her book to her, she dashed off towards the door, almost with a skip in her step as she headed off to her next class, not missing out on the opportunity to snatch another glance of Harry. Moments later, she had disappeared through the hole, the eyes of two of the other room occupants following her out.

Hermione frowned as she saw the look on Dean Thomas' face, his eyes lingering on the exit that Ginny had vanished through. Beside him Seamus Finnigan was talking away, but his friend was taking little notice.

Flicking her gaze towards Harry and Ron, Hermione walked over to where they had both settled, the eyes of the young woman's brother watching the door as if he expected his sister to stroll back through at any moment. As she reached them, she shot a glance at the exit before looking once more at her friends, just as they both looked up at her.

"What did she want?" Ron asked, flicking his head towards the door.

Hermione looked confused and shrugged slightly. "Who?" She gave both an innocent look, playing with them.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Ginny, of course."

Hermione looked at Harry, trying to read what he was thinking and feeling. She really did not want to add to his problems, he already had more than enough to worry about without Hermione adding to it with talk of the young woman that he gave up because he did not want to hurt her. Hermione understood this, she just wished there was a way for both of her friends to be happy.

"She wanted help with homework." Hermione lied, her eyes once more on Ron, as she moved between them and sat down.

"Why did she ask you?" Ron asked, as he made himself comfortable, turning to look at her as she sat.

Hermione gave him a stunned look, as if he had suddenly began to speak in a foreign tongue. She did not warrant his question with an answer, merely staring at him, before turning her attention to Harry who had not spoken since she had approached them.

"Harry?" She frowned, wishing she knew what she could do to make everything right. She wanted more than anything to be able to wave her wand and see everyone happy. Though she knew that until Voldemort was destroyed there would be no way for Harry to begin to live like a normal young man. Until all of this was behind him, he would not risk hurting someone he loved. A pang of sadness shot through her heart at the thought.

"We've been here almost two weeks, and I'm no closer to completing this quest than when Dumbledore was alive." Harry drummed his fingers on the cover of his book with agitation. He caught Hermione's look, a frown marking his features. "What's the matter?"

Hermione shook her head, and blinked in surprised. "Nothing." She reclined in her seat and gave him a little smile. "When do you want to get started?"

Ron leant forward, keeping his voice low. "We could go tonight." His voice shook slightly, his eyes wide with concern. What they had ahead of them was no easy task, and getting out of the school was no walk in the park either.

Continuing to drum his fingers on his book, Hermione could not block out the sound, as it began to grate on her nerves. She placed her hand over his, stopping the movement of his fingers. Her eyes caught his as he looked at her surprised by the touch. "I need to concentrate." For a moment her hand remained on top of his, before she slowly pulled it away.

Harry looked away, focusing on Ron, who had missed the action between them. "Right, so we need to get to get back to the library, which is not going to be easy considering events around here last year." He paused for a moment. "Apparition is going to be our best option, but for that we need to get out of the grounds, and passed the new wards that have been put up since…" He did not finish.

"Apparate?" Ron interrupted, slumping back into his chair with a sigh, looking and sounding defeated at the first obstacle. "And with Filch's increased prowling, we'll never get out."

Harry shot Ron a look that made him sit up in his seat. "We have to find a way." He practically spat at his friend, the other young man's attitude not helping his mood. "We have to find a way out. We've done it before, we can do it again." He looked pleadingly at Hermione for support.

Before she had the chance to answer, the room erupted into a frenzy as Dennis Creevey entered, shouting at the top of his voice that an announcement would soon be forthcoming concerning the yet to be decided Head Boy and Head Girl of Hogwarts. The room practically ground to a halt as everyone circled around the excited boy as they all asked questions pertaining to what he had heard.

Ron's attention was snatched briefly as he got caught up in the euphoria of things, knowing that Hermione had been down over the summer as she had heard nothing about it. He looked over at her and grinned. "It seems you might still have a chance yet."

"There are more important things than that, Ron Weasley," Hermione said, her face pulled into a pout. Ron always seemed to say the wrong thing that managed to make her more than a little cross. She looked over at Harry and smiled sadly, lowering her voice as she spoke. "So, getting out of the grounds, how are we going to do that? Do you have a plan?"

The room around them continued to bubble with excitement, as those inside began to speculate who would be named in the announcement. More than a few of them mention Hermione Granger and looked in her general direction, grinning to themselves at the thought of having a Gryffindor head girl. As to who they thought would be head boy that ranged from nearly everyone in the year, naming both Ron and Harry several times, which caused the red haired wizard to beam with joy.

Harry, on the other hand, was too wrapped up in what had to be done to become distracted by the conversations going on around him. "I think we should use the old tried and tested method of invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map." His voice was low, even if those around him were making more than enough noise to drown him out.

Making sure no one was watching, he pulled out the Map and began to trace his finger along the route he thought they should take, once he had said the spell to bring the diagram to life. Instantly, the map was filled with dots that represented the people in the school, as they went about their business. "This, I think is the best route. There has always been less movement in those areas, the only potential obstacle being Filch, and this map will make sure we know where he is at all times." He grinned, happy that he had covered everything.

Ron nodded his head in agreement. "This will also leave us closest to Hogsmeade, which is an added bonus." He pointed to the spot he was referring to. "I don't think there is a better way out." Looking up at Harry, he grinned before both turned and looked at Hermione, who did not seem to be paying too much attention. Ron pointed towards her and made a sign to Harry indicating her lack of interest.

"So, what do you think, Hermione?" Harry asked, trying not to grin.

Hermione blinked herself out of her reverie and looked at Harry blankly then smiled confidently. "It…ah…it sounds like a good…"

"She wasn't listening." Ron groaned, also fighting a grin.

"Of course, I was…" Hermione began, but a look at both of her companions' faces told her it was worthless lying. "Okay, I wasn't listening."

"See, I told you." Ron grinned at Harry, looking triumphant.

Hermione shot Ron a look, her arms crossed over her chest, before she broke into a grin, turning to Harry. "Please repeat the plan for me." She said as she leant forward, not wanting to be heard, despite the ruckus still going on in the room.

Harry looked at Ron and just managed to stop himself laughing as he went over the plan as requested.

>>>> 

Unsure of the reason why, Hermione was not in the best of moods for the rest of the day, she had already shouted at Harry and Ron for nothing more than doing their homework, and the only reason that she could give herself was the worry over sneaking out of Hogwarts later that night. She was also feeling more than a little uneasy concerning events in Dark Arts, she still had no idea what had caused her to black out, but she could not help feeling that it had something to do with Professor Stygian, even if she had no idea how or why.

Pulling her book onto her lap, she made herself comfortable on her bed, having left her friends in the common room. She needed time on her own, time to get her mind sorted out. She could not remember the last time she felt this uncomfortable, regardless of all the things that had happened to her, Harry and Ron during their time at Hogwarts.

"Hermione?"

The sound of her name brought Hermione out of her reverie, but did not help raise her spirits as her solitude was broken by the arrival of Ginny Weasley, who was standing by the entrance of the room, watching her. Moving her gaze from her book, she found the young woman's face, and gave her a warm, friendly smile. Closing the cover of the tome that rested on her lap, she pushed it off and placed it on the bed.

Patting the spot on the bed, beside her, Hermione indicated for Ginny to take a seat. "Sorry, I was miles away."

Ginny laughed as she walked over and sat down next to Hermione. "I wish I could get engrossed in one of these." She placed her hand on the book and pushed it slightly out of the way, giving herself more room to get comfortable. "I'm not interrupting, am I? But you said I could…"

Hermione shook her head, and turned to face the younger woman, one leg curled up under her as the other dangled off the edge. "You aren't interrupting," she lied. Smiling, she hoped that Ginny could not read her expression.

"Oh, Hermione." Ginny's voice sounded pleading, as her eyes grew wide and a little watery. "I don't know what to do. I really like him and I hate seeing him miserable." She lowered her eyes and fidgeted, her fingers twining and entwining. "I know he doesn't want anything to do with me, but I…" She once more found Hermione's eyes as she raised her gaze to the older witch's face. "I…"

Hermione watched, speechless for a moment, her mind whirling for something to say. Finally she found her tongue and stammered through a reply. "Well, Ginny…I..ah…I think you have to accept that Harry may not want…" She paused. "You have to remember that Harry has a lot on his mind…" She frowned as she watched the girl's face react to her words, eyes expectant. Letting out a sigh, she smiled. "I can't promise anything, and I don't know that it will make him change his mind, but…would you like me to talk to him?"

Ginny looked at Hermione for a moment, as if she had not heard, and then a smile burst over her lips. "Oh, would you?" She leant forward and wrapped her arms around Hermione, catching the older girl by surprise. "You are such a good friend. Thank you." She released the startled Hermione and slipped off the bed, almost as if she wanted to get away before her friend could change her mind. As she reached the door, she turned and looked back towards the bed. "Oh, you won't leave it too long, will you? The sooner the better and all that." She grinned and disappeared out of sight.

Eyes fixed onto the door, Hermione shook her head, her mind filling with various things that she could have answered, but they would not come when she needed them. She sighed, and fell back onto the bed, wondering what she was thinking about offering to interfere with Harry's life, when she knew he would not appreciate it.

>>>> 

Sitting in the common room the following day, the night time visit to Grimmauld Place turning up nothing other than a book of how to play Quidditch and win, which had caused a row between Hermione, Ron and Harry. Hermione was still feeling more than a little put out that Harry always took Ron's side in an argument, even when it was Ron that had not been pulling his weight. Not that they would have gotten anywhere even if had taken the time to read a book pertaining to their search.

The only thing that had come out of the search was Harry's announcement that the locket was at the house, or at least he believed it was. Thinking back two summers ago, Hermione could remember seeing the locket, and had even attempted to open it, before the golden oval was thrown into a black sack as they attempted to clear out the belongings of the Blacks from the house, as per Sirius' orders. For a moment, the memory of the man swam before her eyes, as she recalled the fun and sadness that had filled that year. But now was not the time to dwell on things, they had far too much to worry about, and if the locket was the Horcrux that they sought, then they would finally be on the first step towards completing the quest that Dumbledore had begun.

"Hello, Hermione." Ron addressed her, grinning awkwardly as he stepped down the last step from the dorms and walked across the common room to where she was getting her things ready for the potions class that they had next.

Meeting his eyes, Hermione gave him a pleasant smile, trying to rebuild any damage that might have been done the night before. She had to stifle a giggle as he yawned loudly, obviously struggling to deal with going to bed late. They all knew that he had trouble getting himself going if he did not have a full night's sleep. "Sleep well?" She asked, trying to make conversation, as they waited for Harry to join them.

"Other than dreaming of being chased around the Black's Library by a larger than life size book, that had the biggest fangs I have ever seen…yes, I did." Ron laughed to himself. "What about you? Have you had any more bad dreams lately?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I slept very well." She smiled, grateful for his concern. "Where's Harry?"

Ron looked back at the stairs to the dorm room. "I think he's taking a moment to read the next chapter…he doesn't want to look bad in front of Slughorn."

Letting out a little laugh, Hermione picked up her book, cuddling it to her chest. "I think it will take more than a quick read for Harry to persuade Professor Slughorn that he hasn't lost his talent." She looked more than a little smug, as she watched the dark-haired wizard appear. "Ready, Harry?" Unable to stop herself from laughing, she turned to hide her face from him, and headed to the door, looking forward to the lesson ahead more than usual.

"What's the matter with Hermione?" Harry asked as he reached Ron.

Ron shook his head. "You don't want to know, mate." Grinning, he headed off after Hermione, followed by a confused Harry.

>>>> 

Speaking aloud the password to the common room, Hermione turned and laughed as she listened to Harry and Ron's conversation following the potions class. Harry's last minute studying had done nothing to help him with the Invisibility potion, and Professor Slughorn even had to rescue the desk from the wizard's attempt as it began to eat through the wood, much to Harry's surprise. For a moment he had actually thought that he had been successful in creating the correct potion, as it turned to the desired colour, before rapidly changing and flooding out of the cauldron.

"I think I had it there for a moment, I think I had just put a little too much of one of the ingredients in." Harry moaned to Ron, as they stopped just before the door, almost colliding with the still Hermione. "Of course, Hermione was in her element again."

Hermione merely shrugged. "I told you the book would not bring you any luck, and look what almost happened last year." Neither of them had to speak to know that the other was thinking of Draco and Snape. "It's better this way, things are back to normal."

Ron chuckled. "Of course, she would not be so happy if she had failed to produce the correct potion." He gave her a wink and pushed passed her, heading into the common room, leaving Harry and Hermione outside, staring at each other.

"No hard feelings, Harry, but it is good to be…you know, free from that book." Hermione gave him a kindly smile to show there was no bitterness between them. "I didn't like you using that book last year."

"And we both know why." Harry frowned, before breaking into a grin. "I don't want to use it anyway, it belonged to him." He scowled at the thought, his voice turning bitter. "Anyway, that's in the past. Let's get inside and have a look at how much of our time is going to be filled with potions homework. We really need to clear another evening if we are going to…"

He was cut off by the arrival of several other students who filed in before them. Looking at each other for a moment, they silently entered the common room, spying Ron already freeing himself of the clutter of the class. Walking over to where he was, Hermione was cut off by one of the first years, who rushed at her waving a piece of parchment for her attention.

"I wonder what it is." Hermione took the folded parchment and looked at it puzzled.

Ron moved over to them, grinning foolishly. "Open it and find out. It could be you've been made Head Girl."

Hermione continued to stare at the note, as if the ability to work out how to read the message inside had been stripped from her memory. "I can't open it." She thrust her arm out, offering the parchment. "Open it, Harry."

"What does it say?" Ron asked impatiently, getting more excited by the minute.

"Let me open it first." Harry broke the seal and ran his gaze over the contents. "Professor McGonagall wants to see you." He raised his eyes from the note and looked at Hermione with a grin.

>>>> 

Sitting across the desk from Professor McGonagall, Hermione let her gaze flick between the portraits of the past Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts. Some of the occupants were dozing peacefully, while others were giving their full attention to the scene being played out before them. When her gaze fell upon the familiar face of Professor Dumbledore, Hermione shivered slightly, watching for a moment as the old wizard slept in his frame, or so he looked like he was sleeping. His portrait, unlike all the others, seemed to have a strange appearance, as if it was the same and yet different.

A movement from the women before her drew Hermione's attention to the current Headmistress, who gave her a warm smile as their eyes met. "We'll, Miss Granger, you must be wondering why I have called you here to see me." Professor McGonagall paused briefly, letting her words sink in. "So, I will not keep you in the dark for much longer. I am going to do something that has not been done in Hogwarts in a very long time. I am going to ask a student to make a decision."

Hermione sat looking at the older woman, her eyes wide and full of surprise, and inside she felt nervousness fill her body, as she anticipated the Headmistress' words. Without uttering a syllable, Hermione waited expectantly for Professor McGonagall to continue.

"We are currently undergoing the process to pick Head Boy and Girl, a decision that would normally have been completed before now, but what with one thing and another, we are a little behind in a few things." The professor smiled, pausing to ensure Hermione fully understood what she was saying. "The choice for Head Girl was an easy one, and the decision was reached quickly, very quickly." Her eyes lingered on the student before her, revealing it to be her in question. "The problem comes with choosing Head Boy, and that is where you come in."

Hermione swallowed hard. "Me?"

Professor McGonagall nodded her head. "The rest of the staff and I have narrowed the choice down to two, but that is as far as we can get. We were hoping as Head Girl that your first duty would be to pick a…"

"You want me to choose between Harry and Ron?" Hermione interrupted, oddly sure of what Professor McGonagall was going to say.

The Headmistress stared at the young witch for a moment and nodded. "I know it will be a hard decision for you. I would be lying if I told you that the rest of the staff and I had any more easy a time of it than you will, but you know them, Miss Granger, and Professor Stygian thought…"

"Professor Stygian?" Hermione interrupted again.

The professor looked a little put out at being cut off again. "Yes, she seemed to think that you would have the ability to make the decision. At first I thought that it would be wrong to ask you, but she made a very strong case for doing so."

Hermione stared, unsure of what to say. When she had received the note from Professor McGonagall she could not help by smile and feel proud of herself, and now she had to make the hardest decision of her life, having to choose between her two dearest friends. Her heart beat loudly in her ears, and it was a few minutes before she could find her voice.

"Harry Potter." Hermione sounded more confident than she felt. Guilt was ripping at her insides as she abandoned Ron. She wondered how she would ever be able to look at him, and what she would say to him if he were to find out…not that he would, not if she could help it. "The rest of the students will look up to him."

Professor McGonagall nodded and smiled. "Congratulations, Miss Granger, on becoming Head Girl and thank you for you help." She rose from her seat and stretched her hand out to Hermione presenting her with a piece of parchment. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to give this to Mr Potter." Her eyes met Hermione's a look of respect buried deep in her gaze.

"Thank you, Headmistress." Smiling, she walked out of the room, casting one last look at the sleeping form of Dumbledore, wondering if she would have had to face the same decision if he was still in charge.

>>>> 

Seven days later, Ron was standing in the communal room that made up the centre of the Head Boy and Girl residence, his arms full of books as he helped move Hermione and Harry's belongings out of Gryffindor House. He looked around the room and smiled as he placed a pile of books on the table, his eyes picking out several features of the room, noting the locations of the bedrooms, especially the one Hermione had disappeared into only moments before pulling her trunk behind her.

"Whoa! This is amazing." He spun around slowly, grinning. "This will make everything so much easier. The meetings and planning stuff."

Hermione appeared at the doorway to her bedroom. "It also means that the prefects will be able to reach us, especially you. And researching will certainly be easier." She walked over to where he stood and took hold of his hand. "Let me show you around."

Ron looked over at the other bedroom door to the one that Hermione had exited, which he assumed belonged to the new Head Boy. "Where's Harry?"

Hermione pointed towards the door. "He had to go back to the dorm for the rest of his things."

With a grin, Ron pulled Hermione towards him, wrapping his arms around her, as he held her close. "I can't remember the last time we had a moment to ourselves." He leant towards her and pressed a kiss to her lips, as one of his hands travelled up her back.

Hermione loosened her grip, stepping back as she freed herself from his embrace, her eyes fixed on the door. "Harry will be back in a minute."

"Then we have a minute." Ron reached out for her, only to find that she was too far away, having taken another step back from him. He frowned at her, his eyes questioning. "What's the matter?"

Hermione shook her head, lowering her eyes, unable to look Ron in the face. "I don't know, it just seems wrong being all…you know…when Harry is around." She walked over to the desk and picked up the pile of books that he had placed there. "I don't want you to get angry with me, Ron, but it just feels like we are…"

"Are what?" Ron, if possibly, looked even more confused.

"He doesn't have anyone, and I know how I felt when I saw you and Lav…" Hermione looked up and gazed into Ron's eyes. "I'm sorry."

Ron stared at her in disbelief. "He let her go, Hermione. And his situation is nothing like…I mean, when I was with Lavender, we weren't…well, you know." He stumbled over his words. "We were not going out then, and I did not dump you for her."

"Harry has not dumped Ginny for anyone." Hermione jumped to Harry's defence.

"I don't think we should let what happened to Harry ruin what we have, Hermione." Ron took a step over to her tentatively, afraid that she would back away from him again, but she remained rooted to the spot. He took the books from her hands and placed them back on the table with a low thud. "We cannot creep around as if we don't matter." He placed his hand on her arms, just below her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. "He understands."

"Who understands what?" Harry's voice startled them both, making them jump out of each others arms.

"Slughorn," cried Ron.

"Nev…Slughorn," chorused Hermione, changing her mind mid-word, much to the relief of her and Ron, but not quite quick enough to fool Harry.

Harry laughed. "You almost managed to fool me." He flicked his eyes between his two friends, as he grew serious. "You don't have to stop talking because of me…or anything else for that matter." He pulled his trunk, dragging it across the floor towards his room, stopping as he reached the door. "I'm happy for you both." His eyes met Hermione's with a smile, his look making her think that he was not being entirely honest with them.

Ron turned to Hermione as Harry disappeared through the door. "You're right. Even I'm beginning to feel uncomfortable…" His voice trailed off as the bang of Harry's door resounded around the room.

"We need to keep him occupied and we have one way to do that." Hermione frowned, her mind whirling with thoughts.

"The locket?" Ron asked, knowing the answer before he asked the question.

"If we can locate it and the means to destroy it, I think it will help Harry." Hermione moved over to the desk and began to search through the books, her attention lost as she scanned the title of each.

"I agree…and the sooner the better." Ron stared at her for a moment. "What are you doing?"

Looking up from her task, Hermione met Ron's gaze, her expression a little sheepish. "I have to find a ward for the library at Grimmauld Place."

Ron blinked, looking at her strangely. "Why?"

Hermione paused for a moment in thought and then shrugged. "I have no idea, but it feels like something I need to do."


	12. Chapter 12: From Darkness, Light

**Chapter 12**

**From Darkness, Light**

The next few days were a hectic rush for Harry and Hermione, which seemed to flash passed at a speed that did not leave time to do anything other than class, homework and their duties as Head Boy and Head Girl. Even when they were together the two barely had time to do more than spend a couple of minutes complaining about their lack of being able to do anything, and things were made worse by the growing absence of Ron, who seemed to be constantly wrapped up with trying to get the Quidditch team together ready for their first match.

Hermione looked over at Harry, both finding an odd bit of time to just relax and enjoy the quiet around them, even though they were attempting to get ahead by reading the latest assignment set by Professor Stygian but neither had managed more than a few lines.

Harry turned his head from the page in front of him and stared into the fire, the flames dancing before him, until he could see shapes of people and other places in this vision. "This is getting ridiculous," his voice displayed more than a little frustration. "We'll be lucky to get to Grimmauld Place before Christmas at this rate." He turned and met Hermione's gaze. "We really need to find that locket."

Looking at the wizard before her, Hermione felt sadness sweep over her as she heard the tone of Harry's voice, knowing how impatient he was growing. "We could go tonight. I don't know if Ron is going to make it though, he is very busy at the moment."

Harry nodded and gave her a smile, which did not reach his eyes; instead they held a strange kind of sadness of their own. "It's good for Gryffindor that he is putting in so much effort into playing…but it must be hard on you."

"Hard on me?" Hermione looked confusedly at Harry, her brow furrowed, even though she knew what he meant.

Harry nodded, remaining silent for a moment, letting the low crackle of the fire fill the room as he continue to look at her, his eyes searching her face. "You've hardly seen him for the last couple of days and now with the Quidditch…" He let the sentence trail off.

"I've been so busy, I've hardly noticed," she lied, lowering her eyes from his in case he could read the look in them. In fact, she had not been given Ron the amount of thought that she should have, and this realisation pained her more than anything. She had barely given much effort to making time to be with him, when she knew she could have made the time if she had tried.

Harry looked at her, watching the expressions playing over her face, as her mind ran away with her. He smiled, his eyes never leaving her face, as if he was afraid that he would miss something if he turned away briefly.

"And don't you dare pity me, Harry. I'm not the one that's on their own right now." She spat at him defensively, as her eyes met his and misinterpreted his smile. As he looked at her, visibly hurt at her words, she frowned and lowered her voice. "I'm sorry."

"And don't pity me either, Hermione." Harry's temper seemed to suddenly flair as she began to calm down. "Don't think that I don't know what you and Ron are doing. Do you think I'm stupid? Do you think that I don't know that you stop holding hands and talking to each other when I come into the room?"

The young witch stared at him horrified. They had been so careful, trying not to make it so obvious. They had almost been caught out a couple of times, but they had assumed that they had been successful. It turned out that their best efforts had been for nothing. She opened her mouth to counter his claims but nothing came, her thoughts would not deliver the words she needed.

"And don't try to deny it." Harry got out of his chair, unable to sit and face her any more. He turned his back towards her and moved over to the fireplace, placing his hand on the mantel. "All through the summer you were jumping apart whenever I showed up. I don't know why you feel you need to hide your feelings from me." He turned towards her, his eyes once more finding hers. "I chose to be on my own. I made the decision. Not you, not Ron…"

Hermione didn't miss a beat. "Not Gin…" She stopped suddenly, realising what she was saying.

"What?" Harry looked at her, frowning as anger burned in his eyes.

"Nothing." She stammered, lowering her eyes once more from his.

"Don't lie to me, Hermione. Were you going to say Ginny?" Harry took a step before her and placed his fingers under her chin, lifting her face until she was looking back into his eyes.

Hermione remained silent for a moment, gazing into his eyes, before she slowly nodded her head. "Yes…yes, I was." Harry moved his hand, as if her skin had suddenly become red hot. "Damn it, Harry. She's upset and she cares about you."

"Don't go there, Hermione." His eyes bored into her face. "I don't need this right now. I let her go for a reason, and I'm happy with the decision I made. I'm sorry that she is miserable, but I cannot worry about anyone right now. I don't have the strength to look out for someone else, not with what we have ahead." He paused, his eyes clouding over. "You more than anyone knows what lies ahead of us."

Hermione nodded, rising slowly out of her chair and taking Harry's hand in hers. "Yes, I do, but you don't have to do this on your own. This is not your fight alone."

Harry laughed, not a happy sound, but one of the saddest that Hermione had heard, for in it was a painful cry disguised to save her feelings. "That's exactly what it is. You know the Prophecy." He looked lost and frightened, as his fingers tightened around hers. "It's me or him. That makes it my fight, Hermione. Mine and no one else's."

"But we will be there for you…with you, if you want us." Hermione looked into his haunted green eyes, as her voice lowered, offering him comfort. "We will help you through whatever happens."

His next words startled her. "Did I die painfully?" Her expression must have been puzzled, as he continued. "In your dream." He turned away from her, his gaze once more caught by the flames as they flickered in the fireplace. "Did I put up a good fight?"

"I don't know." Hermione's brow creased with alarm, she did not want to be reminded of what she had seen. The feelings hurt too much, the sight of Harry lying in her arms, his unseeing eyes gazing up towards the darkening sky. "It was just a dream, Harry. Please don't think of it as anything more than that."

He turned back to her and smiled, as he nodded his head slowly. "I'm sorry." He frowned a little more. "I didn't mean to bring it up. I just wanted to know if you thought your dream was a sign…that you thought we were going to lose. That I was going to lose."

Hermione clasped Harry's hand tighter to give him reassurance. "No. No, I don't think you are going to fail." She gave him a warm smile, her brown eyes twinkling. "Harry Potter never fails."

"But your dream..?"

"Was just a dream." Hermione stepped closer and took him in her arms, wrapping them around his body. "You know I'm no good a Divination." She smiled as she heard his faint laugh, as his arms wrapped around her, his body close. Turning her head, she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, which caused him to look at her with surprise in his eyes. "For luck...tonight." She smiled, and held him closer.

A gentle knock at the door, drew her attention, as Ron appeared moments later, a startled expression on his face as he watched his two friends standing their in each other's embrace. He opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by Hermione placing her finger in front of her lips, begging him to remain quiet.

After a few minutes, Harry let go of the young witch and gave her a smile. "Thank you, Hermione." He took a step backwards and turned, allowing his to spot Ron for the first time standing by the door. "Hello, mate…"

>>>> 

Grimmauld Place once more burst into life, the dark lifeless library suddenly erupting as Harry, Ron and Hermione apparated into existence, all three raising their wands and illuminating the air around them. Ron was beaming with happiness at arriving at the desired spot, following his poor arrival during their last visit, which had him turning up in the living room rather than the library, but he had succeeded this time much to his joy.

As Hermione and Ron remained where they had appeared, Harry moved quietly over to the door and opened it a crack, listening for sounds of movement. He turned back to his friends, the grin on his face lit up by the light from his wand. "It all sounds quiet. Everyone is either asleep or hopefully out."

As Harry walked over to where Ron and Hermione had moved beside the table, the witch perched on the edge, Ron whispered. "The plan is still as discussed?"

Lowering himself into one of the chairs, Harry nodded. "You and I will search the house for the locket, while Hermione works on finding something about Horcruxes, especially how do destroy them." He let out a low sigh, as his brow creased and his voice grew regretful. "I wish Dumbledore were here."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other, but remained silent, each lost in their thoughts, not wanting to get into a discussion about it now. They had to find the locket, and dwelling on other things really was not going to let them concentrate on the task ahead.

"Right." Harry came out of his thoughts, and looked between his two friends. "I'll start upstairs and Ron, you take this floor. Just remember to stay as quiet as you can." His gaze paused on Ron. "We really don't want anyone to know we are here." He turned his attention to Hermione. "Will you be alright searching on your own?"

Hermione nodded her head and smiled. "I'm not promising I'll find anything, but I'll do what I can." She gave the two wizards an encouraging smile. "You two just make sure you find the locket. The sooner we have it, the more chance we have of finding what is needed to destroy it."

A look at the faces of Ron and Harry did not fill her with much hope. They all knew that destroying the Horcruxes were no easy task. Dumbledore had been injured getting rid of one himself, and he was a very powerful wizard, but they also knew that they had a duty to perform, and they would to it.

Giving each other one final look, their eyes filled with hope for a successful night, Ron and Harry turned, almost as one, and headed off to the door. Neither said a word as they reached the door, Harry's hand on the handle, when suddenly Hermione's whispered voice broke through the darkness. "Harry! Wait!"

Both turned and looked at the young witch as she made her way over to the door, where Harry and Ron were waiting, looking more than a little puzzled. Hermione looked at both, smiling awkwardly. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to the dark haired young man, who looked at it quizzically.

"What's this?"

"It's a ward." Hermione looked over at Ron, who smiled at her as realisation struck, then turned her attention back to Harry. "This is your house, so you should place it, it will make it stronger."

Harry frowned, not looking any more clued in to events. "A ward for what?"

"The library."

Looking even more confused, Harry continued to stare at the young witch as if she had suddenly sprouted another head. "What does it do?"

Hermione let out a long breath. "Harry, I really don't have time to explain this, not if we want to find the locket and the spell to destroy it." She looked at him sadly. "Please, just trust me on this, and place that ward on the library before you go searching."

Harry looked over his shoulder to Ron, who merely nodded his head, indicating his wish for Harry to do as Hermione asked. "I do trust you, Hermione." He smiled, his eyes once more fixed to hers. "Your wish is my command."

She smiled at him, her body appearing to relax visibly as he agreed. "Thank you, Harry." Turning, she moved away from the door, and headed towards the bookcases, ready to search for some books that might help her solve the puzzle. Behind her, in lowered voices, she heard Harry and Ron whisper to each other, the acoustics of the room carrying their words to her ears.

"What is this about, Ron?" Harry asked, sounding unsure of why they needed a ward.

"Just do it, Harry," Ron said, his voice a little nervous. "Hermione doesn't ever ask for anything without a reason…even if she is unwilling to share it with us. You said you trusted her."

Hermione turned towards them, as Harry nodded. "I do."

"Then set the ward and let's get started on the search." Ron pulled open the door. "I'll see you back here in a while. Good hunting, Harry."

"You too, Ron." Harry watched as his friend left, disappearing into the hallway, before he unfolded the parchment and began to read the spell to set the ward in place.

>>>> 

Hermione placed the second pile of books on the table, managing only to carry three or four of the larger tomes at a time without having to struggle under their weight. The thick covers of leather or other unknown substances tended to double the weight of each one, making her wish more than once for something a little lighter. She gazed over the title of the books and looked back at the door, where minutes earlier Harry had gone, having finished placing the ward. He had given her a strange look, one that questioned her motives, but she was unable to give him the reason for her request, it just felt the right thing to do.

Walking back over to the shelves, she ran her eyes over the titles, picking out titles that she thought might hold the answer to the riddle. She had picked books of old spells and ancient rituals, and anything that sounded like it might contain something as dark as a Horcrux. Finally gathering book twelve, she turned to make her journey back to the table with pile three, when her eyes fell upon another book that seemed to grab her attention. Juggling the books in her arms, balancing them carefully, her hand reached out and grasped the book from the shelf, managing to slide it onto the top of her pile.

Reaching the table for the third time, Hermione gazed at the book that rested at the head of pile three, and frowned as she reread the title. Her eyes lingered for a moment, as she settled herself into a chair and sighed, as she looked at the amount of reading she had to do. Her hand reached out for the first book on pile one, when her gaze once more rested on another. Pulling the book down in front of her, she settled in for a read.

>>>> 

A couple of hours later, a sound behind the library door drew Hermione's attention from the page she was reading, filling her with a very uneasy feeling. She closed the cover of 'Resourceful: A guide to creating what you need, when you need it', and stood up from her chair, careful not to make any noise. Brushing some hair behind her ear, she slowly moved over to the door, listening intently for any clue to the owner of the sound.

Reaching the door, she paused for a moment, and leant forward placing her ear to the wood. She remained there, silently listening for the noise to repeat, hoping it was not the arrival of Tonks or Lupin. She was just about to give up when another noise reached her ears, just before the door handle pushed down and the door swung open, sending her flying backwards onto the floor.

"Harry?"

The face of Harry Potter, closely followed by the rest of his body, appeared from behind the door. "Sorry, Hermione." He rushed over to where she was sitting and offered her his hand. "Are you alright?" His face revealed his horror at hitting his friend with the door, as he pulled her onto her feet. "I wasn't expecting you to be behind the door. What were you doing?"

Hermione smiled, and tentatively released Harry's hand, gracing him with a smile to show she was not hurt. "Let's just say curiosity felled the cat, even if it did not kill it." She paused for a moment, the sound of her words ringing in her ears, as she tried to recall where she had heard them before. "Did you find anything?"

Harry moved further into the room, heading towards the table that moments earlier Hermione was sitting at. He dropped down into one of the chairs, his arms folded on the table, before he leant forward with a sigh of failure, before he lowered his head to rest on his arm. "We are never going to find it." He mumbled, his voice muffled because of his position.

Having finished brushing herself down, Hermione walked over to the table and placed her hand lightly on his shoulder, before walking around beside him and crouching, so she could look up at his hidden face. "I know we'll find it, Harry. You must not give up." She moved her hand, placing it lightly on his leg, her fingers brushing back and forth gently.

Harry raised his head and looked at her. "How can you be so sure? What if I'm wrong this time?" He let out a long sigh, before he got up onto his feet, Hermione's hand slipping from his leg. "If he hadn't moved it, we'd have it by now. Damn, Regulus!" He slammed his hand down onto the table, as his anger grew. "Why couldn't he just leave things alone?"

Hermione rose out of her crouch and looked at Harry, her eyes fixed to him. "You have to trust me, Harry. We will find the locket. Don't give up hope, not now."

Harry lifted his hand from the table, and reached out, taking hers gently in his fingers. Her own closed around his firmly. She smiled as she felt his thumb gently brush over her skin. "You always make me feel better." He raised his eyes to hers and smiled. "I don't know what I would do if you lost faith in me, Hermione."

"I won't." She looked into his eyes, her own brimming with tears at his words, knowing how hard it was for Harry to admit his feelings. "I promise."

A sound from the door drew both their attentions away from each other, their gazes fallen upon Ron, who was standing with his hand on the door frame, his eyes fixed on his two friends. The expression on his face was not a happy one.

Harry smiled. "Any luck, mate?" His hand still held Hermione's.

Ron flicked his eyes between Harry and Hermione, before his gaze stopped on their hands. "What's going on here?" He asked, his eyes questioning as they fixed onto Hermione's face.

Hermione released Harry's hand, blushing slightly, which fortunately was hard to see in the low lighting of three wand's luminance. "Harry was just feeling…"

"I can see that," Ron mumbled under his breath.

"…That we might not find the locket." She gave Ron a smile, having not heard his remark. "I was just telling him that I believe we find it."

Harry nodded and stepped away from Hermione, looking a little guilty at being caught with the girlfriend of his best friend, even if she was his friend too. "Yeah, I was giving up hope, but Hermione has persuaded me not to." He shot her a smile. "But I've searched the whole of upstairs and I found nothing." As he finished, Hermione watched as he once more became deflated, his shoulders slumping.

"And I've yet to find any mention of Horcruxes." Hermione let out a sigh. "I could do with a stroke of luck."

"Like this?"

Harry and Hermione stood open mouthed, as from Ron's hand slipped the golden locket, dangling on its chain from his fingers. The crest of Salazar Slytherin was just visible, in the light from Ron's wand.

For what seemed like an eternity, the room remained silent as Harry and Hermione stared at Ron, or more importantly the item that he held out in front of him, that spun slowly, almost hypnotically. Then suddenly, life once more returned to the library, as squeals of delight filled the air, as Hermione dashed over and wrapped her arms around Ron, followed by Harry, who bundled into his friends, hugging them both. The three began to dance and laugh, celebrating loudly, until as one the trio fell silent, as they recalled where they were. But nothing could wipe the smiles off of their faces.

"Well done, mate." Harry patted Ron on the shoulder, his eyes fixed to the locket, as the friends unwrapped their arms from around each other. "Where did you find it?" Placing his hand under the golden oval, Ron dropped it lightly into his palm.

"Outside the backdoor, in a black sack." Despite his grin, Ron frowned and shook his head. "I was just about to give up when I remembered what me mum does whenever she fills black sacks, and being as she was here at the time, I thought I would give it a look." His frown disappeared, as once more his eyes shone with pride. "And there it was…well, I had to search a little, it had become wedge behind some pots and things, and was barely visible."

"Kreacher!" Harry laughed. "He must have hidden it."

Hermione opened her mouth to fight on behalf of the elf, but closed it again before she uttered a word. Now was not the time to get into a discussion about the welfare of elves, but she would remember to address the topic with Harry later. After all, if it had not been for Kreacher, the locket would have been lost to them. In the middle of the thought, another more important one came to mind. "Is it the right one?" She asked, bringing the elation in the room to a halt.

Harry, followed closely by Hermione and Ron, who were walking hand in hand, reached the table. He pushed the locket close to the wand, illuminating the inscription as the three friends took a look. As realisation dawned that the symbol on the front matched that of the one at school, the trio once more let out a celebratory shout.

His features growing dark, Harry once more grew serious. "Now all we have to do is destroy it." His voice sounded doubtful as to their possible success. "And we have no idea how."

"We'll just have to keep looking. There has to be a clue somewhere." Hermione smiled as she moved away from Ron, and retook her seat. "We will find it, I promise. I have a good feeling…" She paused, as her eyes met Harry's, seeing the emotion buried in them. "Let's get started."

Ron nodded his head. "I'll go grab some more books." He turned and headed off into the direction of the shelves.

Looking at the pile of books resting on the table, Hermione sighed, as she realised she had hardly managed to read any of the ones she had brought over earlier. Her eyes once more found Harry's face. "You might as well start on the ones I have here."

Harry nodded and sat down in one of the available chairs, his eyes flicking between the three piles of books. "Which ones have you read?"

Hermione glanced over the table, a frown marring her features as her eyes flicked to each pile, and then down to the book in front of her. Realisation dawned. "I haven't started any of these yet." She could feel her cheeks growing warm as wondered what had been keeping her busy all this time, as once more she opened the book before her and turned to the first page.

Grabbing the first book from the pile, Harry grinned. "You don't have to tidy up as you go, you could have just left them out until we were finished." He pulled open the cover, and placed the book down on the table. The sound of metal on wood indicated Harry had let go of the locket, letting it rest under the glow of Hermione's wand. "Thank you, Hermione," he said quietly. "I don't know what I would do without you…and Ron."

Hermione looked up at him and smiled awkwardly. "You would have more books to search through yourself." She watched him for a moment, before continuing. "But we really should get looking, or this could take forever." Returning her attention to her page, she lost herself quickly in her search, having the strange feeling that Harry had wanted to say more.

>>>> 

Harry closed his sixth book and frowned, before he reached over and picked up the locket that he had placed on the table before them for safe keeping. His fingers wrapped around the golden oval, feeling the rough crest digging into his palm. He gazed at his hand, as if he could will the locket to give up its secret. Hermione looked up at him briefly, distracted by his movement.

"This is getting silly." Ron thumped shut his book. "If I see another instruct of how to turn a person into a rat or…"

Hermione cut him off. "You should just skip over those ones."

"I try to, but they sound kind of interesting, and then before you know it, you've read the whole spell." He looked at Harry. "Find anything, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "I think we should just try and pry it open. How hard can it be?" He bashed the locket against the edge of the table, the sound echoing around the room. "Perhaps a knife or some opening spell…"

Letting out a huge sigh, Hermione looked at Harry. "I don't think we should try anything without knowing what is going to happen when we open it. It might explode or cast some strange spell…" She stopped, as a green flash appeared before her eyes and then vanished.

Harry and Ron both stopped what they were doing and looked at her, both wide eyed with concern. "What's up, Hermione?" They asked in unison.

Hermione blinked away the image. "I don't know…I thought I saw something." She shook her head. "I think it must have been the light."

Her two friends looked at each other, frowning, but did not push her any further, knowing that she would hate for them to make a fuss. They knew that she would tell them when she was ready to do so, so Harry continued. "I don't want to sit here every night looking for a way to destroy this thing. At this rate, we won't even get time to look for the other ones." He stared at the locket that dangled from his finger. "There has got to be an easy way to do this. There are three of us, and we are pretty good at magic. You are the best in Hogwarts, Hermione, that's got to count for something…"

Another image flashed before Hermione, a bright white glow, followed by completed darkness. Screaming filled her ears, and dead eyes stared up at her. The sound of crumbling masonry filled her ears, and sudden feeling of searing pain swept over her body.

"Listen to me, Harry." Hermione's voice sounded as it had never done before, commanding and frightened. "We are not strong enough to destroy whatever comes out of that thing. We need the right spell and we must not open it before know what it is." Her eyes seemed to bore into Harry's. "Lord Voldemort is a very powerful wizard, one of the best ever, and he would not do anything that could be so easily destroyed. He is paranoid; he had to be to do this. He murdered people so that he could survive. Does that sound like someone who would not take precautions?"

Harry frowned, and slumped back in his chair, his anger rising. "Was not the location he hid it in not precaution enough? Dumbledore almost died…"

"And we will die without the right spell, Harry." Hermione jumped up from her chair, her hands resting on the table, her voice raised. "We are not prepared. We do not know what will come out of that thing. Do you really want to go up against the unknown? Think, Harry."

Harry stood up, his chair scraping noisily against the floor, staring at her across the table. "I am thinking. And we are wasting time. If you don't want to help me, then go back to Hogwarts and I'll open it on my own. The longer it takes us to destroy the more chance he has of winning. And I will not let him win, even if it kills me stopping him, I won't let him win."

Hermione almost fell back into her chair, as a vision from her dream slammed into her. Harry Potter dead, killed by Lord Voldemort. "If you open that without the spell, Harry, then you will die and he will win. And without you, who is left to stop him? I'm begging you, Harry. Please do not open that locket…not yet." Her eyes gazed at him, pleading.

Silence fell upon the library, a deathly silence, as if life had suddenly been extinguished. The sound of breathing slowly seemed to grow loud, as the two students stared at each other, while Ron flicked his attention between his friends. Then the room once more erupted into sound. "Damn you, Hermione. I need to do this. You have one more night. If we don't find the answer tonight, I am going to destroy this thing at the next available opportunity." His fingers clenched around the locket. "I want this thing gone." Before anyone could stay another word, Harry raised his hand and threw the golden oval through the air, not wanting it near him.

"Harry! No!" Hermione's voice filled the room.

Like a comet racing through the sky, the locket, its chain flying out behind it, smashed heavily against the wall…and blackness descended.

"Harry…I don't think you should have done that." Ron's voice sounded in the darkness.

Silence followed, making the library seem like a tomb, where everything living had been cast away. The darkness was blacker than anything the three had have witnessed, as it appeared devoid of all light, even the thin rays that should have pushed through the small gaps in the curtains. There was nothing, no light, no sound. A place of death. The low breaths of Harry, Ron and Hermione were barely audible in the unearthly silence.

"We really could use some light." Harry's voice sounded loud as it cut through the quiet air. "Do you have your wands?"

Hermione's flew into her hand from its place on the table, but before she could illuminate it, she saw a faint glow fill the room. She smiled to herself, realising that Harry or Ron had beaten her to it, but the smile soon vanished as the source of the light revealed itself.

"What the…? Harry?" Hermione stammered, as her eyes fixed to the locket, which was now emitting a sliver of light from the crack that had appeared.

"Crikey, Harry." Ron took a step forward. "What have you done?" He continued to move, closer and closer to the shining oval.

"Ron, stay away!" Harry's cry permeated the air, as the light swept through the spectrum from a low golden glow to a bright yellow. On the wall behind them, shadows danced, growing more and more defined.

Ron reached the locket, and bent down, his fingers brushed against the golden oval, as it moved against the floor, out of his reach. "What the…?" He stood up and looked at his friends. "It's alive…"

Lowering her wand, Hermione looked at Ron. "Don't touch it!"

"Did you…?" Ron began, but the look in her eyes revealed that her answer was not needed.

Once more the room fell into darkness, as the trio waited, standing still, lost in their thoughts. Their breaths grew heavy as fear of the unknown crept over them, and none of them spoke, as the room once more became silent, even the creaks of the building failed to sound. Time seemed to cease, as everything stopped. Then a flapping sound filled the air, like a thousand bats suddenly taking to the wing.

"It's the books!" Hermione shouted, causing her to look around in the darkness, her eyes picking out nothing. Her wand illuminated in her hand, barely lighting the space around her. On the table, one of the books flipped open its front cover, followed by the rapid flicking of pages, before the back cover slammed shut. The book then flew off the table, landing on the floor with a bang.

"It's like someone is looking for something." Harry noted, his eyes fixed on the scene.

"I think it's found it." Hermione pointed towards a book that suddenly burst into flames. "We need to put it out."

"I think we have bigger problems."

Harry and Hermione turned at Ron's words, their gaze falling on the locket that lay against the wall. The darkness had cleared, replaced by a brilliant white light, that pulsed with a strange echo, as the room grew brighter and brighter, until it seemed to burn into their eyes, causing them to cover their eyes. Their wands were held out instinctively before them, unable to do anything but wait and react. Ron took a few steps backwards, but stopped in case he tripped over some of the books that lay scattered on the floor.

"We have to destroy it!" Harry's voice reverberated around the room.

"We don't know how." Hermione cried out, her hand reaching for the book she had been reading.

Harry heard the sound of her movements. "We don't have time to look now, even if we could."

Before another word could be uttered, a scream filled the air, terrifying as it battered their ears, coming from all around the library. All three covered their ears with their hands, trying to block out the sound. The brightness reached new levels, the light penetrating through their eyelids. Suddenly, a huge smash filled the room, drowning out all other noise, as projectiles began to fly around the room. The young wizards ducked down, Ron trying to scramble across the floor trying to get out of the way of books that rammed into his body, Harry and Hermione fairing little better with the table as shelter.

"We have to do something." Hermione screamed, to be heard over the noise.

Blackness once more covered the library, the scream dying. Around them books began to rain down onto the floor, as silence fell. Harry, Ron and Hermione blinked open their eyes, trying to clear the spots that swam in their vision, their hands dropping from their ears. The air around them prickled with electricity, and the feeling that they were not alone seeped into their minds.

"Harry," Hermione whispered. "Be ready."

"Ready for what?"

As if on cue, the air above them seemed to take on an eerie glow, almost like a wispy cloud, which seemed to grow more pronounced with each passing second, taking on a ghostly shape. A green glow brought the library to life, the three friends staring as the apparition began to float around the room, as it became more defined.

"Voldemort!" Harry's voice tore through Hermione like a curse, as he shouted the name.

"Kill it!" Ron screamed, as the ghostly figure flew above his head.

"Be ready, Harry." Hermione's voice was oddly calm, which seemed totally out of place, as her eyes remained fixed on the shape before them. She raised her wand, matching Harry's stance as he moved himself into a better position.

Then without warning, the green apparition swooped over their heads, flitting around the library, zooming from one end to another, causing strange shadows to dance over the walls. It stopped suddenly, bright in the flames from the books that were slowly burning on the floor. Its eyes grew intense, the evil being that it embodied illuminated in its gaze. It looked passed Harry and Hermione, its focus settled on the red haired boy. Like a flash, it shot off down the length of the library, like a bullet, aiming straight at Ron. It rammed into his body, almost sending him flying as it rose above him, swirling around his head.

Ron screamed, looking up at the green ghostlike figure, his wand in his hand but doing nothing. His eyes were wide, fear reflected in his eyes, as he looked towards his friends, silently begging for help. As the shape above his head, moved again, he opened his mouth to scream.

"Ante Mortem Apage Voldemort!" Hermione screamed into her air, her wand releasing a bolt towards the apparition knocking it off of its course, as it lost sight of Ron.

Harry looked over at Hermione and then back to the ghostly figure that let out a terrifying scream. Wand raised and focused on the shape, his eyes blazed with anger. "You aren't going to win!" He shouted the words he had heard Hermione use moments before. "Ante Mortem Apage Voldemort!" His wand shot out an even brighter bolt than Hermione's that engulfed the image of the Dark Lord.

The green hue grew brighter and brighter, as it began to fly erratically round the room, the scream growing louder and louder, as the apparition began to pulse.

"Hermione! Together!"

Both the wizard and the witch held up their wands, and in unison their voices rang out around the room, bursting through the scream. "Ante Mortem Apage Voldemort!" From their wands the burst of energy glowed brightly as it flew towards the green shape that seemed to be screaming in pain before the spell had even hit it. The two closed their eyes against the dazzling light before them, as the pitch of the wail increased, their hands moving to cover their ears from damage.

The pulsing grew faster and faster until it exploded, a ripple of green energy rushing over the library, crashing into the three students, who could not see what was happening, sending them flying across the room. They landed heavily on the floor, pain searing through their bodies, as darkness fell upon them…


	13. Chapter 13: A Matter of Trust

**Chapter 13**

**A Matter of Trust**

"No!"

Hermione blinked open her eyes, her body aching as she scanned the darkness above her. Her breath was uneasy, a mix of shallow and deep breaths as she brought herself under control. She shivered slightly, as she dragged herself up into a sitting position. The room around her seemed darker than usual, and eerily quiet. Her hand moved, and brushed lightly over her forehead, her hair matted around her face.

"Hermione? Are you alright?"

Harry's voice reached her ears, as she once more turned in the darkness trying to work out where she was. She ran her hand over her body, wincing as she touched several tender spots on her skin, where her body had been hit. Moving slightly, she stretched out her muscles, checking herself for damage.

"I think so. Are you alright?" She called into the night, not sure where Harry was.

"I don't seem to have any injuries." His voice seemed to be drawing closer. "Do you have your wand?"

Hermione searched the floor before her, her hands brushing over the area around her. "I don't seem to." She held out her hand and silently spoke 'Accio wand', feeling the slender wooden stick land in her palm. Within seconds, the wand was casting a subtle glow around her.

At around the same time, Harry suddenly appeared out of the darkness, as his own wand illuminated around him. The two appeared like beacons in the night, standing at almost opposite sides of the room. Moving over to Hermione, Harry offered her his hand and helped her to her feet. She gave him a smile before a look of concern spread over her face, matching an almost identical one on his face.

"Ron!" They called out in unison.

A soft mumble filled the air, coming from the direction of the last place they had seen their friend standing. With a brief look at each other, they headed off towards the sound, unsure exactly what they would find there. Things had happened so fast once the spirit of Voldemort began to zoom around the room, that Hermione had not been entirely sure what state Ron had been in. The last time she remembered looking upon him was when the apparition had sped through his body.

"Ron?" Hermione called out softly, a hint of fear causing her voice to shake. "Ron, are you alright?"

"Ron, mate, are you hurt?" Harry's voice floated over to where Hermione stood.

Almost together they stood about two metres from the wall that Slytherin's locket had bounced off of a short time earlier. Both stood still, wondering if the spirit was still there, whether it was merely waiting for them to approach before it began attacking them again.

A brief look at each other, and they turned in slightly different directions. Hermione headed towards the place that Ron was last standing, while Harry moved slightly in the other direction, towards the locket. Both continued to walk cautiously towards their goal.

Hermione's wand lit up the floor before her, where suddenly a limb came into view, followed by another leg. Her heart leapt with a mixture of happiness and fear, as she sped up, rushing towards her fallen friend. Reaching him in mere steps, she crouched on the floor, her hand stretching out towards Ron, searching for signs of life.

"Ron?" Hermione spoke softly, trying to fight back the emotion that was welling up inside her. "Ron?" Her hand found his chest, moving it until it rested over his heart. The beating beneath her fingers caused her to sigh heavily with relief.

"The kiss of life might help." Ron's eyes popped open, his lips spreading into a grin.

"Oh, Ron." Hermione smiled, as she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips to his. "I thought you were dead," she cried out as she sat back on her heels, then frowned, as he pulled himself into a sitting position. "Don't scare me like that again."

Ron looked sheepish, but the twinkle remained in his eyes. "Oh, I feel like I've been used as a punch bag for a week." He groaned, as he steadied himself. "Is it gone?"

Both looked around to where Harry was standing, his light revealing the golden locket that lay broken on the ground. He bent down slowly, his hand reaching out tentatively towards it, as if he was expecting it to bite him. His fingers closed around the oval, as he brought it up to his face for a closer inspection. All three remained silent, as if their voices would bring back the spirit of Voldemort.

"It seems empty." Harry called over to Hermione and Ron, his gaze leaving the locket and finding his friends' faces. His eyes then flicked around the room, searching. "I don't think it's here anymore."

Hermione and Ron followed Harry's example and looked about them. Hermione rose to her feet, her wand outstretched, spreading her circle of light further. "It's gone!"

Harry rushed over to where his friends were, his hand out ready to help Ron from the ground, as Hermione took hold of his other hand, pulling him to his feet. Groaning loudly as his body put up a struggle, Ron gave his two friends a grateful but painful looking smile.

The trio stood looking at each other for a moment, not saying a word to one another, when suddenly, as if on cue, they burst into a loud laugh, their arms flung around each other. They began to dance happily around and around, patting themselves on the back and celebrating.

"We did it!" Harry cried out with joy. "We did it!"

Ron patted his friend on the back. "We killed You-Know-Who!" He grinned as he looked over to Hermione. "We actually did it!" His voice sounded more than a lightly surprised.

"Not exactly." Hermione suddenly grew serious, even though her eyes continued to hold their smile. "We destroyed a part of his soul, which is impressive to say the least, but we still have a long way to go before we actually kill him." She turned to Harry. "We should leave before the others hear us."

Harry nodded. "What was the ward we put on the room?"

Hermione looked at Harry and smiled. "Secrecy Ward, but it's not permanent. It was just to stop anything that happened in this room getting out. Everything that happened in here will remain a secret. Anyone outside would be unable to hear or sense what was happening within these four walls."

A frown fell over Harry's face. "Why not just use a silencing spell?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Hermione smiled. "Because I found the secrecy one first. Not that it really matters. It was just to stop anyone finding us here."

Ron looked at Hermione. "Why not do the whole house? We could have been found when we were searching it."

"We didn't have time to do the whole house, and we were in the library longer than we were anywhere else…"

"Would Voldemort have been able to pick up on what this part of his soul was doing?" Harry asked, cutting off Hermione.

Turning towards Harry, Hermione pondered for a moment and then shrugged. "I'm not sure how the Horcruxes work, but there is a possibility that he could have sensed his soul, but the ward should have kept him from finding out. Being as he wasn't 'in' the room himself, but I'm not really sure." She frowned. "There is a possibility that he might know that this Horcrux has been destroyed."

"I hope he does know." Harry's voice grew dark. "I want him to know that we are going to stop him. If he knows we are successful, he will know that he has little time left."

Hermione looked at Harry oddly, her brow creased heavily. "He might also move the Horcruxes. And even though we don't know where they are, we could find the solution in his past, but if he moves them, Harry…"

"It doesn't matter. I know that we can destroy them now, and that's always been one of our biggest problems." Harry smiled at Hermione. "And you found the solution."

Hermione blushed, grateful for the low light of the wands. "It was nothing." She turned suddenly and headed over to the table, leaving her friends standing together. "We should start tidying up." She raised her wand, and with a brief utterance the books that had burst into flames and were now merely glowing with heat, suddenly extinguished completely. "Ron, get the lights," she called over her shoulder.

Harry walked over to the table, picking up the books that lay resting on the surface as the room erupted into brightness, causing the three to blink hard as their eyes adjusted from the darkness. Once they were able to see, the full extent of the damage caused was revealed to their eyes.

"This is going to take hours." Ron grumbled, as he moved over to where Harry was standing.

The ground was covered with books, where they had flown off the shelves and had landed. In the middle were a pile of blackened tomes, their bindings burnt beyond recognition. Those that were still in one piece were scattered around, some open with their pages revealed, while others were lying downwards. In the corner two books were in the middle of a standoff, growling and flapping their pages at each other.

"Ron, help me with these." Hermione called over, hoping to give the young wizard something to occupy him.

"You've got to be kidding." Ron looked over to where Hermione was pointing. "They'll take our fingers off."

Hermione turned and glared at him. "Don't be such a baby, Ron. They are only books." She frowned as she once more looked upon the two books. "If we grab one each while they are occupied with each other, it will be easy. I'll take the one on the right, and you take the other."

Ron sighed and nodded his head. "I hope you are right about this."

"Ssshh, keep quiet, and try not to draw attention to yourself." Hermione carefully edged closer, swinging around to the right, while Ron mirrored her actions, moving to the right.

Approaching slowly, their eyes never leaving the scene in front of them, Ron and Hermione finally stood silently behind the two books, as they began to ruffle their pages faster, their covers snapping shut like angry mouths. Hermione briefly looked at Ron, checking that he was in position. Lowering her attention once more she took a step forward.

"Now!"

Hermione and Ron leapt forward, arms out and grabbed the two heavy tomes, fighting to keep them from opening once they had managed to push their covers together. Hermione backed away from Ron, putting some distance between them as the two students struggled to lock the catches on the books. Finally, both noticed a difference as the books gave up the fight and with a heavy sigh the young witch and wizard returned the books to their shelves.

"I hope we don't have to do that again in a hurry." Ron moved over to her and gently stroked her cheek as he smiled. "I always thought libraries were supposed to be quiet places."

Laughing, Hermione took told of Ron's hand and lowered it from her face, looking over to see what Harry was doing before turning back to Ron. "Not here." She whispered, not wanting Harry to hear.

Ron nodded in understanding. "Let's get this mess cleared up. The quicker we start, the quicker we finish."

Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Ron." Letting his hand slip from her fingers, she watched as he began to pick up some of the other books that lay on the floor, while she walked over to the table where Harry was stacking the books they had been using earlier.

"Which one was it in?" Harry asked, looking up from his task at her approach.

Hermione scanned her eyes over the table, picking up a couple of the book, not looking up at Harry, almost as if she had not heard his question. Ron had stopped what he was doing and wandered over to them as he caught what Harry had said and was as curious as his friend for an answer.

Stopping as he reached Hermione, Ron placed his hand on her shoulder, making her jump. "'Mione, stop being so bashful and tell us where you found the spell."

Harry looked at Hermione, who had turned her attention from the table and looked into his eyes. "What is it?" He looked into her face for a moment then gazed down onto the table, staring at the book that rested on the surface in front of the seat she had been sitting at.

He walked around the table, stopping by her chair. Looking down at the open book, he moved his hand to flick over the cover to read the title. As he did so, Hermione's hand came down on the page stopping his progress.

"Hermione, what is it?" He asked, his eyes finding hers.

"Harry…I…"

"Yes?"

Hermione paused, her hand remaining on the book. "Well, you see…I…"

Harry frowned, his expression one of confusion. "You did what?"

"I made it up."

Silence descended on the room, as Harry looked between Hermione and Ron, while the other wizard stood staring at her opened mouthed. The ticking of the clock in the hallway could once more be heard, along with the low crackling of the slowly cooling burnt books.

Harry finally found his voice. "You did what?"

"I made it up," Hermione repeated, sounding more than a little embarrassed about admitting the fact.

"Wait!" Ron interrupted. "You made up the spell that destroyed that thing?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I made it up."

Ron and Harry exchanged looks, before they both once more stood staring at their companion. Both looking as if they were fighting hard to find something to say that would make this conversation seem more real.

"You made it up?" Harry asked again.

"Yes." Hermione answered, sounding a little annoyed at having to repeat herself.

"Out of the blue? Just like that?" Harry's eyebrows had risen questioningly. Beside him, Ron had a similar expression on his face.

"Yes, just like that." Hermione flicked her eyes between her two friends.

Harry frowned for a moment. "How did you know it would work?"

Hermione paused, looking more than a little uncomfortable. "I didn't know it would work."

"What?" Ron's voice rose in pitch.

"I believed it would work." Hermione smiled sheepishly, looking so much unlike herself. "And I thought you would believe it would work. And so it did."

Once more the room fell into silence, as the two wizards stood trying to understand what she was saying, and finding it hard to come to terms with her words. The expressions on their faces revealed as much to the young witch.

"Spells are created all the time and somehow they work." Hermione turned to Harry, her eyes looking at him pleadingly for understanding. "Remember the Half Blood Prince's book," she explained, making sure not to mention Snape's name, as now was not the time to get into an argument. "When you tried the potions and spells written in the margins, you must have believed they would work, otherwise they were nothing more than just words that someone had jotted down. You made them work."

Her eyes flicked between Ron and Harry, settling on the red haired wizard. "You failed to apparate at first because you had doubts in yourself." Again her eyes moved between her two friends. "Ron did well in that Quidditch match because he believed that he had taken the Felix Felicis potion. That's how this spell worked." She sighed heavily, feeling a little frustrated.

"Because I trusted you…and I trusted that you had found the spell?" Harry asked, still sounding a little unsure. "Is that what you are saying?"

Hermione nodded. "Partly. The words focus your thoughts to what you want to happen." She let her hand up from the book, letting Harry reveal the title. "This book held the answer. I just had to make the words say what we wanted to happen." Her smile grew. "Ante Mortem Apage Voldemort means Before Death Begone Voldemort." Moving slightly, she lowered herself into a chair. "We need his soul gone before we can kill him, and you wanted him gone, and so did I."

"'Resourceful: A guide to creating what you need, when you need it'." Harry read the title aloud to Ron. "This sounds like a self help book, not a spell book."

Hermione looked down at the book, her eyes resting gratefully on the cover. "But we needed a spell that could destroy the Horcrux, and it gave me the idea. And your trust in me made you believe the spell would work. Just like with the Patronus spell, Harry. That time when you knew you could do it because you had seen you do it. It's how spells work, and why we are better at some more than others."

Ron frowned. "Are you saying that my problem is disbelieving I can do it?"

Hermione laughed lightly. "I'm saying that it could be a possibility." Her eyes met Ron's; the look in them was kindly. "But you cannot deny that you improved at Quidditch when you thought you had taken that potion. Because you believed that luck was on your side."

Nodding his head, Ron grinned. "Harry sure fooled me." He patted his friend on the shoulder. "It certainly did wonders." He looked down at the table and sighed. "I guess we'd better get tidying if we ever want to leave here tonight." Without another word, he walked away from the table and resumed picking up the books that had been tossed onto the floor.

Harry watched Ron walk away, and let his gaze fall onto Hermione. Unlike Ron, he appeared less than happy with her explanation. "I still don't understand how you could try something so stupid without knowing it would work."

"Did you notice any time when I could have practiced first?" Hermione scowled, growing more than a little annoyed that he was not thanking her for her help, rather than attacking her about it. "It came to me, Harry, as if it was supposed to be." She pointed to the book. "This is the only book that I read tonight. I don't know why, but it seemed to hold my attention like a book has never done before. And you know how much I like books, Harry."

Harry grinned despite himself. "Before you do something foolish like this again, at least give me some warning."

"I asked you to trust me, Harry. Do you remember?"

The two fell silent for a moment, the only sound in the room was the scuffle of Ron's shoes against the floor as he continued his task, and the gently rustle of pages as they closed against each other.

"I remember," Harry nodded slowly. "But I thought you were referring to the ward." He smiled suddenly, his face lighting up. "I do trust you, Hermione. I always have. I've know you long enough to know that you never do anything that you do not believe will work. And I know that you would not do something that you thought would hurt me." He placed his hand on her shoulder, and looked down into her face. "I trust you, and I always will."

Hermione blushed, unsure for a moment what to say. "Thank you, Harry." She raised her hand and rested it lightly on top of his that lay on her shoulder. "That means a lot to me."

They remained smiling at each other for a minute, no need for more words as their eyes said everything that needed saying. The sound of a book being shut behind them pulled them out of their reverie.

"I guess we need to get finished, we don't want to be late for class tomorrow." Harry moved his hand from its place and let it hang down the side of this body. "Professor Stygian will probably start docking points from Gryffindor if we are not there on time."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, she does seem a little strict, and I think she could make Professor McGonagall seem forgiving."

Sharing a smile, Hermione rose from the seat, and the three began working on clearing up the library, to ensure that should Tonks, Lupin or Kreacher enter the following day, none would be aware that anyone had been in the room.

>>>> 

The corridors of Hogwarts were quiet, but the three students took no precautions and returned using the invisibility cloak and the Marauders Map, managing to reach the Head Boy and Girl's suite without bumping into anyone. Even Filch had been far away from their path, which boded well for Harry, Ron and Hermione. Disappearing inside, the three friends were revealed as Harry pulled off the cloak and dropped it over the back of the chair, as Ron and Hermione visibly relaxed.

"I have to say it. That was a most exceptional night." Harry grinned, as he pushed his hand into his pocket and pulled out the golden locket, now devoid of its occupant. "I really didn't think we would be able to do it."

Ron walked up to Harry and looked over his shoulder at the oval in his hand. "Who would have thought something so small could have caused so much trouble?" He looked over at Hermione. "Do you think they will all be like that?"

"I don't think they will get any easier, but now we know what is in it, and we know that we can destroy it." Hermione moved over to the fire and waved her wand, bringing the dying embers back to roaring flames. "But we really should not get over confident."

Harry nodded and walked over to where Hermione was standing, Ron following closely behind. "But we know we can do it. That has to make a difference."

Grinning, Ron plopped himself down into one of the chairs, his eyes flicking between his two standing friends. "One down. Dumbledore would be proud of you, Harry."

The dark haired wizard shook his head. "Proud of us." He smiled. "I couldn't have done it without the two of you." His face took on a look that Ron and Hermione had not seen in him for a long time, at least not since the end of last year. "I thought I had to do this one my own, but I was wrong. You two are the best friends I could have."

Hermione looked at Harry and smiled, her eyes twinkling with happiness. "We will always be here for you, Harry. Won't we, Ron?"

The other wizard nodded his head. "You can count on us, Harry."

A chiming from the clock drew all their attention, bringing them down from their euphoric feelings. The night had turned into morning, and although it was still dark, they all knew that the sun would be up in a couple of hours. Ron rose from his chair and looked over at the door.

"I'd best go otherwise the others will wonder where I've gone." Ron turned his gaze to the cloak. "Harry, can I…?"

"Sure, go ahead." Harry nodded and walked over to the chair where Ron was heading. "You'd better take this too." He handed over the Marauders Map. "Be careful. You really don't want to be caught now."

Ron nodded as he picked up the cloak and placed it around his shoulders, his body disappearing, leaving just a floating head. "I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Ron," Hermione answered from her place by the fire. "Like Harry said, be careful. Look out for Filch."

Looking between his two friends, Ron pulled the cloak over his head and disappeared from view. A moment later the door to the room opened as if by magic, and then silently closed again. Harry and Hermione stood watching the door for a moment, before Harry walked back over to where Hermione was warming herself.

"I really can't believe we did it." His hand once more opened in front of him, revealing the locket. "When that thing rammed into Ron, I thought we were all going to die."

Hermione shivered despite the heat from the fire, as the vision from her dream appeared before her eyes. The face of Harry stared blindly up at the darkening sky, Voldemort standing across from them, his eyes blazing with anger. Her arms held Harry tightly, as tears streamed down her cheeks. Then he blinked. His eyes finding her gaze, as he gave her a cheeky smile.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Harry asked, as she turned towards him.

"I'm fine." Hermione smiled, and moved closer to where he stood, taking his hands in hers. "I'm just burying demons."

Harry grinned. "We certainly did that tonight, didn't we?"

Hermione squeezed Harry's hands tighter, gaining strength from his touch. "Yes, we did. But we still have a long way to go." She leant forward and pressed a tender kiss to his cheek. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Hermione." Harry smiled. "Have pleasant dreams."

Hermione released his hands, and took a step back. "I will." She stood and stared at him for a moment, just watching him, before she turned slightly and walked towards her bedroom door. Pausing with her hand on the handle, she looked back over at Harry, where he had gone back to staring at the golden locket in his hand.

"Tomorrow we can begin searching for the next one." She called over to him, smiling as he once more met her gaze."

Harry nodded his head. "And then the fun starts all over again." He wrapped his fingers tightly around the locket, and walked over to the door of his bedroom. "See you in the morning, Hermione."

They stood gazing at each other for a moment, and then as if on cue, they both turned and disappeared into their rooms.


	14. Ch14: Closing Doors and Building Bridges

**Chapter 14**

**Closing Doors and Building Bridges**

The trio had little time to celebrate their success, as they fell back into their school routine which just seemed to get busier and busier as each day progressed. Harry and Hermione seemed were inundated with visits from prefects over the tiniest little thing, which called either one or the other of them away, sometimes even both. When they were not in class, they were trying to get their homework completed, which also meant that looking for the next Horcrux was put on hold, much to the annoyance of Harry, who was very keen to continue what they had started.

Ron, on the other hand, was kept very busy with not only his prefect work but also trying to drag the Gryffindor Quidditch team into some semblance of a order, which was turning out to be harder than he had expected. Most of the students at the school were still a little wary of being alone following the invasion of Hogwarts at the end of the last school year, which put the team on edge during training days, plus they had to get used to the new way that the captain did things compared to how Harry had done them the previous year. And all this was not helped by the fact that Ginny seemed to take her frustrations out on Ron during the practices, much to his embarrassment.

All in all, the week following the destruction of Voldemort's soul had gone passed almost in a blink of an eye, leaving the three friends tired, miserable and more than a little knocked back. They had hoped that the euphoria of their success would have carried them on to finding the at least the clue that would reveal the location of the next Horcrux, but they had had little time to delve into Tom Riddle's past to discover anything.

Hermione looked at Harry, as the three made their way to their next class, which happened to be their least favourite, especially Hermione's. She had this very strange feeling whenever Professor Stygian looked at her, as if the professor was judging her for something, but she did not know what. Hermione put it down to the events that had happened in their first class. Fainting tended to leave a lasting impression, and she felt sure that the professor had still not forgiven her for not following her advice. But deep down, Hermione could not shake the feeling that there was something more.

"With any luck, we might be able to get researching this afternoon." Hermione smiled encouragingly, even though she seemed to say the same thing every day. "As long as nothing comes up."

Harry sighed. "We've been through this every day for the last week, and something always comes up." He looked at Hermione, smiling sadly. "If it continues, I might have to speak to Professor McGonagall about stepping down as Head Boy."

"You can't do that," Hermione exclaimed, looking more than a little alarmed. "It is our best opportunity for time on our own."

"Like we get any time on our own." Harry shook his head, frowning heavily. "Every time we think we get a free moment someone knocks on the door." He lowered his eyes to the ground, as if fighting off a thought. "I would not be surprised if Voldemort had a hand in keeping us distracted. Or I would if Draco were still around to cause trouble." He practically spat their old school foe's name out.

Hermione looked over at Ron, and shrugged, as his eyes asked a silent question. "Harry, we will get time, I promise." She placed her hand lightly on his shoulder. "If we all worked together with our homework, we should have plenty of time for researching tonight." Her eyes remained on Ron's face. "Will you be over tonight, Ron?"

Ron frowned, looking suddenly embarrassed. "I would, but I really need to get some things sorted tonight for the match on Saturday." He lowered his gaze to the floor unable to meet her eyes. "Ginny needs some more practice, in her role as Seeker."

"Ginny is the new Seeker?" Harry suddenly looked up, staring at Ron.

Ron nodded, looking more than a little bashful. "I needed someone to replace you, and she was the best I had." He blushed a little, having not wanted to bring up that particular conversation. He had managed to keep himself from talking about his sister to his best friend after what had happened between them.

Harry smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, she's a good choice."

Hermione and Ron looked at each other then followed after Harry, who had continued on to the classroom, not uttering another word or even meeting the eyes of his friends.

>>>> 

Hermione sat at the desk, her eyes neither fully focused on Professor Stygian or the book that was in front of her. For the second time that she could remember, she could not concentrate on what was going on in front of her; instead her mind had wandered back to Grimmauld Place. Before her eyes, she could see the ghostly form of Lord Voldemort as he rushed around the library, instilling fear. The words from the book that she had been reading swam in front of her eyes, almost as if it were speaking to her.

"Are you with us, Miss Granger?"

Jumping up with a start, the words on the book had made themselves into a mouth that spoke her name, when realisation hit and she looked up, finding the deep, black looking eyes of Professor Stygian staring at her from in front of the desk she shared with Harry and Ron. She felt her cheeks begin to burn, as she looked silently at the professor, waiting for words to come to her.

"I…I am, Professor Stygian," Hermione stammered, trying to clear away her thoughts.

The professor remained still, watching the young witch for a moment, her eyes boring into Hermione, making her shiver. The death's head smile appeared, and then she wandered away, continuing around the classroom as she resumed the lesson she was teaching.

"What is the matter with you?" Ron asked in a low voice, the moment the professor had wandered away.

Hermione looked at him quizzically. "Nothing is the matter with me."

Ron raised his brow in surprise. "You are always fading away in class, especially this one." His brow came down and fell into a frown. "Is there something about the Professor that you don't like?"

"Don't be silly, Ron," Hermione chided, wanting the questioning to stop, but unfortunately, she wasn't about to get her wish, as Harry turned towards her.

"He's right, Hermione. You seem so…far away lately." Harry's eyes held a look of concern, which caused Hermione to look away.

"It's nothing." She let out a sigh, wondering why her friends were so poor at picking up when she did not want to talk about something. "I've just been a little tired lately. This is a very difficult year, what with NEWTs and everything else." Her eyes found Harry's and then Ron's. "But I'm fine, honestly."

Ron glanced at Harry, who remained focused on Hermione.

"If you are sure?" Harry asked, his voice indicating that he was finished if she wanted him to be.

Hermione nodded. "I'm sure." She gave both her friends a smile, before turning her attention back to the professor.

"…Your homework is to read Chapter Twenty-Seven, and then write an essay detailing the effects of the curse and the counter-spell, especially focusing on the counter-spell. Also added points will be given if you can tell me another spell that works against it." Professor Stygian let her eyes flick around the classroom, as the students gathered together their things.

"This is really going to eat into my Quidditch time," Ron sighed and grumbled.

Hermione frowned. "There are more important things than Quidditch, Ron." She looked at Harry. "I still think we can begin tonight, even if Ron is too busy to help."

Harry nodded. "Whatever time we get…"

"I want to help," Ron interrupted. "I just have other things to do."

"We all have other things to do, Ron." Hermione picked up her book, hugging it to her body. "Sometimes we have to put other things first." She got up from her seat and headed towards the door when a voice stopped her.

"Miss Granger, please remain for a minute." Professor Stygian's voice reached her from the front of the classroom.

Hermione turned in time to see Harry and Ron exchange glances, as she made her way back into the room. Her eyes focused on the woman ahead, and she never caught the words Harry said as she walked passed them, as her mind was whirling, trying to find a plausible reason to give to the professor for her lack of attention during the class. She could not tell her the truth, after all, as that would risk their search for the other Horcruxes, and Hermione did not trust Professor Stygian. There was something about her that made Hermione nervous, something that lingered just out of reach in her mind.

"Take a seat, Miss Granger." Professor Stygian pointed to place at the front of the classroom, and waited for the other students to leave, all of which took the opportunity to gaze back at Hermione and depart with the sound of whispering floating after them.

The professor moved around her desk, leaning against it as she stared at the young witch for a moment, as if looking for information that was displayed on or even inside her. "Miss Granger, from the moment I entered this school I have heard nothing but good things about you. And from your school record, which I took the opportunity to read, I see a shining example of a student. Your grades are outstanding, and you seem to excel at almost everything that we can teach you."

She paused for a moment. "I have to ask myself then, what has happened to Miss Granger that has caused her attention to waiver and her grades to, if not slip, not meet with my expectations? The homework that you deliver is not to your usual standard, and your lack of enthusiasm in my class makes me wonder if this is an all over decline in your performance or just in Dark Arts."

Hermione squirmed slightly in her seat, surprised that her studies had shown that much of a decline. She had only noticed her focus disappearing in two classes, but if she thought about it she really did have a lot on her mind at the moment. "I'm sorry, Professor Stygian, I have been a little busy settling into my new role."

"If you are having trouble fitting your work around the duties of Head Girl, I am sure that Professor McGonagall would be willing to let you step down." Professor Stygian looked at Hermione, almost willing her to refuse this offer. "Even though you are the ideal candidate for the position, we would not like to see your studies suffer."

Hermione shook her head. "No, I do not want to step down." She smiled awkwardly. "I'm getting myself into a routine now, and I'm finding it easier to arrange my time."

"And what about Mr Potter? Does he have time to do everything?"

The look Professor Stygian gave Hermione was odd, almost as if she knew what they were up to. Burying the thought, Hermione nodded. "He is arranging his time to get everything done. We are working well together, sharing the work."

"Sometimes, things look like they work well and that the situation is set to the best arrangement, but small changes in the way things are can make all the difference." Professor Stygian smiled, as she stood upright, no longer leaning on the desk. "We do what we think is for the best, or at least, what is best from our point of view, but we fail to always see the big picture."

The professor moved around the desk, standing with her hands resting on its surface. "If you need help in arranging your schedule, I am here to help you. I do not want to see my Gryffindor students failing to achieve what I know they can achieve." She looked Hermione in the eyes, once more appearing to read the young witch's inner thoughts. "I would like to see your studies returning to normal, Miss Granger."

"Yes, Professor Stygian." Hermione looked more than a little confused.

The older woman smiled. "I'll not keep you any longer, Miss Granger. I know that you have a busy night ahead of you."

Hermione stared at the professor, her mouth opening questioningly. Had she heard what had been discussed with Harry and Ron? Shaking the thought away, Hermione continued to focus on Professor Stygian.

"With your homework." The professor added, wiping the puzzled look from Hermione's face.

Rising from her seat, Hermione looked at Stygian and smiled, before turning away and heading out of the classroom. Her mind instantly filled with the conversation they had just had. There was something about the Professor that confused Hermione. It was like she was speaking to her on various levels. Like she was saying one thing and meaning something else, as if she knew more than she was letting on. Was it some warning? Was Stygian trying to tell Hermione that she knew what was going on? The professor seemed to touch on so much without actually coming out and saying it directly.

Her mind was so occupied with her thoughts that she would have collided with Harry and Ron had they both not jumped out of the way at her approach.

"What did Professor Stygian want?" Ron asked as soon as they were out of earshot from the classroom.

Hermione shrugged. "I think she was telling me I need to concentrate more in class." She looked at Harry. "There is something strange about her. She seems to talk in riddles."

Harry opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Ron. "It's her stare I don't like. She kind of looks right through you, as if she can see inside you." He grinned suddenly. "I make sure my mind is on the lesson when she is around, in case she can read my mind."

"She wouldn't have much to read, would she, Ron?" Hermione giggled as she turned to him, trying to make light of the situation.

Harry joined in with the laughter, while Ron stood there looking a little hurt before he too laughed. The three walked away, chuckling to themselves, as they made their way back to their respective rooms.

>>>> 

Hermione put down her quill and looked at the drying ink on her parchment. The homework that Stygian had set had not taken as long as either her or Harry had expected. She placed the parchment down on the desk and looked over at her companion, who was just finishing putting the last few touches to his essay.

"Well, that's done, and now we have some time to look into Tom Riddle's past to see if we can find where he would have hidden the other Horcruxes." Hermione rose from her seat as she spoke and gathered up her books. "There have to be clues buried in his life."

Harry nodded and closed up his book with a thud. "It's a shame Ron is busy today." He too got out of his chair and began to clear the desk. "Things seem to happen when we are all together."

Cradling her books to her chest, Hermione smiled sadly. "We can start, and maybe he'll be by later after his practice. We cannot wait for us all to be free. We may never get anywhere."

"I never thought there would be a day when I regretted Quidditch existing." Harry frowned, though he was trying to pull his features into a smile. "It suddenly seems unimportant compared to what we have to do."

Hermione smiled, and walked over to where Harry stood, offering her arms for him to place his books on. "I'll get rid of these, while you get the notes we made on Tom Riddle from the things you saw in the Pensieves."

Harry placed his books as requested and headed off to his room, while Hermione moved over to the shelves and put the books on them, out of the way, before returning to the table and moving their homework. She watched as moments later Harry returned carry a couple of parchments that they had been making notes on. He dropped them onto the table, and began to roll one open.

"I just hope no one wants us this evening." He let out a sigh, knowing how previous evenings had gone. "If the door knocks, I'm not going to answer it."

Hermione smiled. "You know you will." She looked around her. "I'll just get some fresh parchment, just in case." Giving Harry one last grin, she wandered over to her bedroom door and headed over to her chest, where she kept her spare stationery.

Gathering the items she wanted, she was just returning to the main room, her hand touching the handle of her door, when a knock on the Head's Suite's entrance ceased her movements. She heard Harry tut and move over to the door, his feet scuffling along the floor. The door clicked open, and Hermione was about to continue through when she heard the voice of the new arrival.

"Hello, Harry."

"Hello, Ginny." Harry answered, his voice not sounding at all pleased to see her. "I thought you had Quidditch practice with Ron."

The sound of footsteps indicated that she had entered. "I had a few minutes, so I thought I would come and see you. Are you on your own?"

Hermione let go of the door handle and took a step back, as the footsteps in the main room started up again.

"What do you want, Ginny? I'm a bit busy right now." Harry remained by the door, the slight squeak of its movement making Hermione believe he still held onto it. "Unless this is Prefect business, I would rather you left."

One of the comfy chairs squelched, as Hermione guessed Ginny had sat down in it. "I just want to talk to you, Harry." Ginny's voice sounded pleading. "That's not a lot to ask of a friend, is it?"

"I don't want to get into this, Ginny. Please leave."

"Not until I speak to you." A moment of silence, until the sound of Harry's footfalls echoed around the room, walking towards the chairs. They paused and Ginny spoke again. "Harry, you know how I feel about you…"

"Ginny, I've explained this to you already." His voice sounded exasperated. "I have a lot on at the moment, and I don't need you hanging around my neck. It's finished."

"You don't mean that!" Ginny's voice rose, as she got to her feet and walked towards him. "I know you care about me. You can't just stop, just like that."

Harry let out a loud sigh, almost as if he was trying to stop himself from saying something he did not want to. His footsteps once more echoed around the room as he put some distance between him and Ron's sister.

"Harry, talk to me. Please." Ginny was almost pleading now.

"I don't care about you, Ginny." Harry's voice was low, there was no shouting, but his tone had a definite edge about it. "It's time you moved on. There is no us, and there never will be."

A sniffling started, and then the sound of running footsteps, followed by the steady step of Harry as he walked over to the door and closed it again. When Hermione entered the room, she looked over at Harry, who was leaning with his back against the door, his head bowed down, his eyes fixed to the floor.

"Harry?"

He raised his head and looked at her. "How much did you hear?"

Hermione fell silent for a moment, blushing slightly. "Enough."

Harry let out a long drawn out breath and moved from the door, walking deeper into the room over to where Hermione was standing. "I'm sorry you had to hear that." He frowned, searching for words. "I expect you think I was too hard on her, don't you?"

Shaking her head, Hermione paused before answering; her voice was low and understanding. "No, I don't. Sometimes we have to say things we might not want to say, but they need to be said." She gave him a sad smile. "I know that you have a lot on your mind at the moment."

Harry's eyes met Hermione's. "It's not just that." He frowned. "I just don't feel the same way about her that I did. I thought I would, but I don't. Being away from her, being with you and Ron, and seeing you both together, I realised that what I had with Ginny wasn't what I wanted."

"What do you want, Harry?" Hermione asked, her voice low, as if to speak too loud would stop him from answering.

Sighing, Harry glanced about him. "I don't know. I think I do, and then it seems to change." He looked back into her face. "Maybe I won't really know until I've faced Voldemort and killed him. But sometimes…" He fell silent.

"Sometimes…?" Hermione prompted.

"Sometimes I think I'm missing something." Harry shook his head and sighed. "Like something is just within reach and yet far away at the same time." He laughed suddenly, not a happy sound. "I'm not making much sense, am I?"

Hermione smiled. "In a way, you are." She moved closer to where he was standing, placing her arm around his shoulders. "I think we all feel like that."

"Do you?" Harry asked, his voice sounding unconvinced. "You have Ron."

"Yes, I do." Hermione frowned, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "That doesn't mean I don't…" She paused looking for what to say.

"Don't what?" It was Harry's turn to prompt.

Hermione stared at him for a moment. "I don't know." She shook her head and smiled at him. "Like you, I feel there is something that I need…but I don't know what it is. Maybe once the Horcruxes are destroyed and You-Know-Who is destroyed, we'll both get our answers."

Harry laughed. "You always manage to say the right things to cheer me up." He slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her slightly around from his side.

Hermione gasped slightly at his touch, feeling herself shiver. "It's part of my job as your friend." She smiled. "Perhaps we should get started." Her head turned towards the table.

Despite her suggestion, the two remained where they were, her arm around his shoulders, with his arm around her waist, not wanting to break apart just yet, as they found strength in each other.

"Thank you, Hermione."

The young witch smiled, her brown eyes twinkling. "It's a pleasure." She moved her head slightly, lips poised to press a kiss to his cheek.

As her lips were about to brush his skin, Harry turned to look at her, his smile disappearing as her kiss landed against his lips instead. His arm tightened around her waist, holding her close. Then as suddenly as it began, Hermione took a step back, breaking the kiss, as both of their arms fell from the other's body. Hermione's face was growing pink.

"I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry shook his head, frowning slightly, yet his eyes held something within them. "No, it was my fault." He grinned. "I, ah, I shouldn't have moved."

Hermione stood staring at Harry, her gaze lingering on his lips, as if her eyes were drawn to them by some magic force. She nibbled lightly on her lower lip, as her mind whirled. Inside her head was swimming, with a million thoughts, some of them things that she really should not have been dwelling on. Her fingers moved to her mouth, brushing over her lips where only moments ago Harry's had been. Her stomach fluttered, which she put down the embarrassment of the situation.

Running her fingers through her hair, she fidgeted trying to find something to say. "It was an accident." She smiled, trying to push the thought of it out of her mind. "We…ah…should really get to work on finding the next Horcrux."

Harry nodded and moved over to the table, settling himself into one of the chairs. "I'm glad you were here, following Ginny's visit." He pulled the parchment over towards himself that he had opened earlier. "Knowing you were in the next room made speaking to her easier."

Hermione sat down in her own chair opposite him. "I wish there was something I could do." She frowned. "I know how both of you are feeling."

A smile crept onto Harry's lips. "I'm feeling a lot better now."

"It's good that you managed to clear the air." Hermione smiled as she rolled open a fresh bit of parchment for making new notes on. "That always makes things easier."

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Harry." Her eyes met his across the table, before her gaze slipped briefly to his lips, as once more she could imagine feeling the gentle pressure of the kiss.

Harry smiled to himself. "Nothing."

Hermione lowered her eyes to the parchment, feeling her cheeks growing warm, as suddenly her thoughts turned to Ron, who had slipped from her mind, causing her to feel a twinge of guilt.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, his face full of concern.

"Yes, I'm fine." Hermione almost snapped. "I was just wondering about Hagr…"

A knock at the door brought her to a halt, as both she and Harry turned, wondering who it was. Getting up to their feet, they turned towards each other, looking questioningly, before Hermione moved over to the door.

"If it's her again, I don't want to see her." Harry whispered as she walked passed him.

Fingers wrapping around the handle, Hermione pulled open the door a little, then let out a sigh, as she opened it fully to reveal a rather annoyed looking Ron, who brushed passed her and stormed into the room with a face like thunder. He walked over to the table and sat down on the chair that Hermione had vacated, his two friends watching him with puzzled expressions.

"What's up, mate? I thought you had practice." Harry asked, risking a quick glance at Hermione, who was slowly returning to the table.

"Ginny cried off." Ron grumbled. "Like I have the time to rearrange my schedule around her." He flicked his gaze between Harry and Hermione. "Still, as the Quidditch was off, I thought I would come and help you with the search. Have you done much already?"

Hermione shook her head, and took the third seat at the table. "No, we were just about to begin."

Ron nodded. "At least I haven't missed anything important."

Hermione and Harry looked at each other silently, their faces briefly revealing their feeling of guilt, each realising what had happened now that their friend was there. It had not happened on purpose, but the accidental kiss suddenly took on more importance than it had done before.

Ron looked between the pair of them, his brow furrowed. "Have you two lost your tongues?" He grinned. "This is going to be a slow evening if I'm the only one talking."

Hermione smiled awkwardly, and pulled the parchment in front of her, leaning over to grab the quill. "It's just been a long day." She turned to Harry and blushed slightly.

"Have you two had a row?" Ron asked, looking concerned.

"No." They answered in unison, shaking their heads.

Ron looked between Harry and Hermione, his expression one that showed he knew that something was the matter, but he could not quite put his finger on it. But he did not take the discussion any further, which made Hermione feel slightly easier.

For the rest of the evening, she could not look at Harry, and it was with a sigh of relief that several hours later she finally bid Ron and Harry goodnight, escaping into the sanctuary of her room.

>>>> 

Hermione had not slept at all well, and it was on more than one occasion that her dreams turned towards her kiss with Harry. Unfortunately, as dreams have a tendency of doing, it replayed itself differently to how it actually happened. And instead of the accidental brushing of their lips, her mind had conjured up visions of her and Harry sharing a passionate kiss, their arms wrapped around each other, so caught up in their passion that they failed to see Ron enter.

And to make matters worse, the dream escalated to a point where Ron and Harry stood facing each other, their wands drawn, in some kind of duel. Who won the duel, Hermione would never know, as she woke up with a start as a knock at her door brought her out of sleep.

"Who is it?"

"It's me." Harry's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"What time is it?" Hermione asked, knowing from the darkness in the room it was not yet morning.

"I need to talk to you, Hermione."

Hermione climbed out of bed and gathered her robe, pulling it on as she walked to the door. She pulled it open a little and stared at Harry as he was revealed in the crack. "What's the matter?"

"I couldn't sleep." Harry frowned. "I've been thinking about what happened earlier."

"What you said to Ginny needed saying." Hermione smiled, trying to offer some words of comfort.

Harry's frown grew. "I didn't mean the thing with Ginny."

"Oh." Hermione paused, lost for words.

Harry placed his hand on the door frame and looked at Hermione, his eyes serious and sad. "I don't want that little accident to ruin our friendship. I can't do what I have ahead of me on my own, especially not without you, Hermione." He sighed. "If I could change things that had happened, I would, if it would make things right between us again."

Hermione smiled. "You don't have to do it on your own, Harry." She moved her hand to where his rested and took it in hers. "We are friends and I am with you every step of the way." Her eyes twinkled slightly with mirth. "Who would do all the research if I'm not there?"

Squeezing her hand, Harry smiled. "I might be able to sleep now that I know everything is good between us."

"Me too." Hermione hoped that her dreams would stop haunting her once she returned to her bed. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Hermione." Harry turned to leave then stopped, looking back at the young witch, barely visible in the light, giving her a smile. He then continued on to his bedroom, disappearing out of sight.

Hermione stood at the door until she heard his close, before shutting her own and wandered back over to her bed. Climbing back in, she was asleep a little while later, her dreams pleasant ones, still containing Harry, but this time there were no duels or feeling of guilt attached.


	15. Chapter 15: Beasts And Burdens

**Chapter 15**

**Beasts and Burdens**

The sunlight sparkled on the wet leaves and grass as the trio walked out of the main building into the grounds. It had been a few days since they last ventured outside, as the heavens had opened up, soaking the land. Ron had been more than a little irritated by the weather, as it had meant him cancelling his much needed practice, and with the game being that afternoon, he was feeling more than a little on edge. In fact, it had taken a lot of persuading from his friends to spare the little time that he had to come with them to visit someone they had neglected for a while. It had only been Hermione's constant insistence that they visit, that the three found themselves wandering in the direction of Hagrid's hut.

"Ron, you really are going to have to cheer up if you are going to be any help to Hagrid." Hermione repeated for what felt like the hundredth time since they had left the Gryffindor common room. They were supposed to meet at the suite she shared with Harry, but when the red haired wizard had failed to turn up, she and Harry had gone to collect him. "Perhaps it would have been better if you had stayed behind."

Ron looked at her, his expression one of shock and disgust. "That is exactly what I said I would do, if I remember correctly."

Hermione shrugged and let out a loud huff. "What is it with you lately? It's all, you, you, you." She looked forward, her eyes never leaving the path they were on.

"All me?" Ron sounded exasperated. "Have I been like that, Harry?"

Harry, who had been quiet during most of the trip, looked at Ron for a moment and said nothing. It was only when Hermione turned to face him that he felt the need to reply. "Well, I can't say I've really noticed," he confessed trying not to take sides.

Stopping suddenly, Hermione glared at her companions. "If this is what it's going to be like between us, maybe we shouldn't bother visiting Hagrid." Her eyes flicked between her two companions. "We're not going to be able to cheer him up if we continue like this."

"As I seem to be the cause of the problem, I'll leave you to it." Ron exclaimed, before turning and heading back the way they had come.

"Ron!" Hermione called after his retreating back. "Ron!"

Harry placed his hand on her shoulder. "Let him go." He shook his head and sighed. "He has a lot on his mind at the moment. He'll be better after the match." He pointed off towards the direction of Hagrid's hut. "Let's go, otherwise we'll miss him when he goes to his next class."

Nodding her head slightly, Hermione let out a low sigh, and watched as Ron disappeared from sight, before turning and following after Harry, having to jog a little to catch up with him.

The rest of the walk was completed in silence, neither saying anything to the other, both lost in their thoughts. Hermione took a casual look at Harry as he walked beside her. There had been something different between them since the night they had accidentally kissed. It had become hard to talk to him, hard to focus on anything other than the way it had made her feel, and it was not an entirely good feeling. She was sure that the guilt she felt was what caused her to be so hard on Ron.

Within minutes, they could see their first sighting of the hut, the smoke rising from the chimney suddenly brought to their minds how chilly it had become following the rain. Careful not to slip, the two made their way to the door, which Harry knocked hard once they had arrived. His hand connected with the wood three times, before he took a step back and waited silently for the door to be answered.

"I don't think he's in," Harry declared after they had stood waiting for a couple of minutes.

Hermione frowned. "There's smoke, so he should be in."

Harry looked at her for a moment in thought. "Perhaps we should come back another time."

"There sounds like there is someone inside." Hermione announced, as she stepped forward and bashed her hand against the door. "Hagrid! Hagrid, are you there?"

"Hagrid!" Harry chorused.

"Hold yer Hippogriffs" came a voice from inside the hut. "I'm comin'" The door swung open to reveal the giant frame of Hagrid. "'Harry. Hermione. Come in." He took a step back and waved them inside. "I wasn't expectin' yer; otherwise I'd have let yer in sooner." He gave his two visitors a smile.

"Hello, Hagrid." Hermione returned his smile as she stepped into the hut.

Harry followed closely behind. "Hi, Hagrid." He smiled as he looked around the interior, trying to discover what had kept their host so long. "How are you?"

Hagrid moved beside them, covering the distance in a couple of steps. "I can't complain." He lifted a couple of filled sacks from one of his chairs, freeing it for Hermione to sit on. "Can I get yer a tea or somethin'?" He pointed to the kettle bubbling over the fire.

Hermione shook her head. "No, thank you." To which Harry added a very quick shake of his head.

"We're sorry we've not been to see you sooner, Hagrid." Harry looked at his old friend, a genuine look of regret buried in his gaze. "We've been really busy."

Hermione nodded and smiled sadly. "We had been meaning to come earlier, but we have had so much to do, what with being made Head Boy and Girl," she explained, feeling that it really was no excuse for their lack of attention.

"I've been a little tied up meself, ter be honest." Hagrid turned away from his guests and began to poke the fire. "Ever since Dumbledore…" He paused, unable to go on, or not wanting too. "I've bin workin' hard ter make sure his trust in me was not wasted." He pointed to the sack he had moved from the chair. "I've even managed ter get a surprise for me next class."

Harry looked at the sack, his eyes holding a look of fear that was matched by Hermione's gaze. "What is it?" He asked, wondering if doing so was the right thing to do.

"Oh, it's a surprise, Harry," Hagrid grinned, and turned his attention back to the fire. "But it's nothin' ter worry yerself about." He fell silent for a moment, as both of his companions continued to stare at the sack that had decided to start moving, as if on cue.

The three remained silent for a moment, as Harry turned to Hermione, his face a picture of concern. Hermione in turn, looked over at Hagrid's back, as if she was willing him to speak. When no more conversation came from him, she looked back at Harry.

Slowly, as the minutes dragged on, the silence began to become unbearable. The crackle of the fire and the rustle of the sack filled the cabin, as time began to drag on. Hermione started to wonder if this was such a good idea after all, being as they had so many other things that they could be doing. The thought of finding the next Horcrux would not leave her mind.

"What have you been up to lately, Hagrid?" Harry finally broke the monotony.

"Professor McGonagall has asked me ter check out the Giant Squid; the one that lives in the lake." Hagrid turned and looked at his companions. "Seems the thin' has disappeared since the beginnin' of the year." He shook his head. "I just hopes it has nothin' ter do with what happened here last year." A frown cast over his face. "Place ain't been the same."

Harry nodded his head sadly. "It hasn't, that's for sure." His eyes found Hagrid's. "Have you managed to get out to Hogsmeade lately, Hagrid?"

Shaking his head, Hagrid's frown grew deeper. "I've been meanin' ter visit, but I haven't had the time." He moved his gaze between the two students. "I'm not goin' ter ask yeh two, as I'm sure yeh've been stickin' ter the Headmistress' rules an' not leavin' the grounds."

Both Harry and Hermione looked more than a little guilty, but they smiled at the giant man before them, and merely nodded, unable to open their mouths and outwardly lie to Hagrid. His smile indicating that he was happy with their answer, as he turned back to his stove, upon which was brewing a strange concoction.

"What are you making, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, wanting to get away from the topic of conversation that they had just been discussing. "It looks…" She could not bring herself to say disgusting as she rose from her chair and walked over to Hagrid, her eyes fixed to the pot.

"That's ter feed my new pets," Hagrid sounded overly pleased with himself. "They take a little lookin' after, but I'm pleased with the way they're developin'." He gave her a satisfied grin.

From the corner of her eye, she could see that Harry had moved his position, and was fiddling about with the opening of the sake, trying to get a peek inside. Both of they were concerned about what Hagrid had gotten himself into this time, especially following some of the acquisitions he had come by in the past. The dragon and Buckbeak being two that came instantly to Hermione.

"What the…?" Harry shouted as he shot back into his seat.

"Harry?" Hagrid turned to look at his young friend.

Harry's eyes found Hagrid's. "You've got…" He stammered. "You've got giant spiders in there. What are you doing with them?"

"No, no, not giant spiders." Hagrid moved across the room in one step and snatched the bag away, holding it too him, careful not to crush the contents. "Yer two had better leave now." His face had fallen into a frown, as he looked sadly between the two. "Go on with yer." He turned his back on the two, shielding his prize in his arms.

Hermione looked at Harry, then turned towards the door, pulling it open. Briefly, she shot a look at Hagrid. "Goodbye, Hagrid." She stepped outside the door, and paused on the threshold, waiting for Harry to follow her.

"Hagrid, you've got to take them back," she heard Harry telling Hagrid, before he two appeared at the door.

Before the two had taken a step away from the entrance to the hut, the door was closed behind them with a resounding bang. Looking back over their shoulders, Harry and Hermione stood looking for a moment, as if they expected something else to happen, before turning and walking back towards the school.

"I can't believe he did it," Harry began, shaking his head. "He must have sneaked into the forest and stole some of Aragog's spiders.

Hermione frowned and looked at Harry, her expression one of puzzlement. "Why would he do that? He would have had to risk his life to get them. You know what he was told when Aragog died. He would not do something that foolish, would he?"

"You said yourself that he had not been himself lately." Harry shrugged, his expression not changing.

"Are you sure it was a spider?" Hermione asked, hoping that Harry had made a mistake. He had barely looking into the bag as far as she could tell.

Harry looked at her, his eyes questioning. "You think I don't know a spider when I see one? It shot its leg out at me when I pulled open the top slightly."

Hermione signed, resignedly. "We'll have to keep an eye on him, Harry. All what has happened has affected him more than we thought." She looked sadly back at the hut. "We must keep this to ourselves, we don't want Hagrid being sacked from Hogwarts. He would not be able to survive outside the protection of the wards, and he is sure to be a target for You-Know-Who."

Harry nodded, as the two continued to make their way back into the castle.

>>>> 

Once they had returned to the castle, Harry and Hermione lost themselves in a muddle of work, chores and other things that kept them occupied until thirty minutes before the beginning of the first Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Ron had not been seen by either of them since he left them on the way to Hagrid's, and had spent the time in between working with his team and building up their spirits.

Hermione walked into the Head's Suite common room, and glanced over at Harry who was looking more than a little cross at a sheet of parchment that was half filled with his scribble. She moved over to where he was seated, and looked down at him, her eyes scanning the last line he had written.

"What's the matter, Harry?"

Harry looked up from his work, surprised to see her standing there. "I can't get my head around this."

Hermione frowned and lowered herself into the chair beside him. "Do you want me to help?"

"No, it's not that I don't understand it." He looked at her, his brow furrowing. "I can't stop thinking about things. The Horcruxes, Hagrid, Ron, you…"

"Me?" Hermione sounded a little surprised by the mention of herself.

Harry nodded. "Yes."

If it was possible, her frown deepened. "Why do you think of me? I'm perfectly fine, you know that." She smiled, trying to reassure him. "I can look after myself. You really should be focusing on you, and what you have to do. Ron and I really do not need you to worry about us." She blushed slightly. "It is very nice that you do care though, Harry."

Harry nodded, his eyes holding a strange look in them, as if he was thinking something that he did not wish to share. "We should be heading to the Quidditch pitch if we want to wish Ron and the team luck before they start." He got up from his chair and looked down at Hermione.

Hermione's mind was still in a whirl, the conversation had changed rapidly, almost leaving her behind. She rose from her seat and smiled at Harry. "Yeah, I think he is going to need as much luck as possible, if what he's been saying is true." Her eyes continued to stare into Harry's face, as if searching for a clue. His eyes had been trying to talk to her, but he had pulled back before she had grasped his meaning.

Before another word was spoken, he was on his way towards the door, and through it before she had taken a couple of steps. The journey to the stadium was completed in silence, making Hermione wonder once more what had happened to cause this atmosphere between them. They seemed to be on a seesaw of emotion, one moment up and the next moment down. Hermione knew that Harry had a lot on his mind, but it was getting difficult to pinpoint when it was a good time to talk and when he would hide away in his thought.

As they approached the entrance to the Gryffindor teams changing room, Hermione stopped suddenly, her eyes focused on two figures that were standing near the door, laughing and joking with each other. The red head of one making him instantly recognisable to her, the other did not take too much effort, even though she could only see the back of the girl's head. Ron was laughing, something he had not done around Hermione lately, and she felt a twinge of regret that they had lost the fun that they used to share.

Harry, having noticed that Hermione was not walking, stopped and turned towards her. "Are you alright?"

Hermione nodded slowly. "I'm fine." She smiled awkwardly, her eyes never leaving the two people before her. "I…ah…I think I'll speak to Ron after the match."

"Don't be silly." Harry turned towards where Ron and Luna were standing, his eyes instantly taking in the scene before him. He looked back at Hermione. "Come on, he'll be glad to see us."

Pausing for a moment, Hermione nodded, and the two covered the remaining space to the entrance. Before they had reached their destination, Hermione watched in horror as Luna wrapped her arms around Ron and kissed his cheek. Hermione could faintly hear the words she spoke, as Luna pulled away.

"That's for luck, Ronald. I'm sure you don't need it."

"Thanks, Luna. I'm sure it will make all the diff…" Ron's eyes feel upon Harry and Hermione, lingering on the latter, his eyes widening. "Hermione. Harry."

As he spoke, Luna turned and faced the two newcomers, a smile spreading over her lips. "Hello, Harry. Hello, Hermione." She flicked her eyes between the two. "Isn't it exciting? Gryffindor is going to win, aren't they, Ron?" Her eyes briefly took in the red haired Weasley before focusing on Harry. "It's a shame you aren't in the team. Ginny's good, but you were always the best seeker, Harry." She smiled. "I'd best get ready, before the game starts without an announcer. I'll see you later."

Before anyone could speak, Luna had turned and disappeared through the flap, as the three friends stood staring at the now vacant stop where she had been standing. Hermione's eyes found Ron's, the look inside them was questioning, but she did not speak.

"We've come to wish you luck," Harry explained to Ron, breaking the silence that had formed. Ron did not turn to look at his friend, as his gaze was fixed to Hermione's face. "We'll be cheering you on, won't we, Hermione?" He looked in her direction, only to see her staring back at Ron, neither replying to him.

Silence hung in the air for a minute, before Harry tried again. "Hey, look, a giant pink Hippogriff is running away with Professor McGonagall, who has half turned into a frog."

"What?" Hermione and Ron chorused together, as they came out of their reverie.

"Finally." Harry sighed. "Hermione, we'd better get to our seats, and Ron, good luck."

Ron smiled. "Thanks, Harry." He turned to Hermione.

"Good luck, Ron." Hermione took a step forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek, careful not to pick the same one that Luna had kissed earlier, then turned and walked away, not hearing if Ron and Harry continued to talk. Her mind was full of Ron's face as he laughed and joked with Luna. She tried to remember the last time they had had the time to do the same thing, and she struggled to even bring up an image of a time since they had been back at Hogwarts.

Hermione was so lost in her thoughts, that she did not hear Harry running to catch up with her, and she jumped with surprise as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, as he walked beside her, eyeing her oddly.

"I'm fine." Hermione practically spat the words, unable to hide her growing annoyance. She stopped suddenly and looked at him. "And don't start playing the pitying friend, Harry."

Harry looked taken aback. "Why would I pity you?"

Hermione let out a huge sigh and relaxed visibly, the tenseness leaving her body. She smiled, as a blush grew on her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Harry." She paused, looking for the right words. "I…I was just a little surprised. It's been a while since I saw him laugh like that."

"It's been a while since we all laughed like that." He smiled and took her in his arms, holding her against him, his fingers lightly stroking her back. "We'll all laugh like that again, I promise."

Hermione smiled, her arms wrapping around him, losing herself in his embrace. She felt comfortable and safe, as if everything that was bad could not harm her while she remained where she was. Nothing but goodness could penetrate the circle that the two of them made. Moving her head slightly, she gazed up into Harry's eyes. "Thank you, Harry."

"The pleasure is all mine." He smiled down at her, his eyes fixed to hers. "I'm always here for you, Hermione."

They remained standing there, holding each other, giving each other strength and comfort. As they broke apart, Hermione happened to look over Harry's shoulder, and was surprised to see Ron still standing at the entrance, his face like thunder as he stared at his two friends. Hermione's heart sunk into her stomach, and flipped over several times making her feel sick. She looked back at Harry, blushing heavily.

"We should get to our seats." She announced, wanting to get away from Ron's gaze.

Walking away in silence, Hermione took a moment to look behind her, to see whether Ron was still watching, but the spot that he had been occupying was empty. She let out a deep sigh as her mind focused on what had happened over the last few minutes, and as she sat watching the game if it could have been called watching, being as she did not have the smallest idea of what was taking place. Even Luna's voice was not detailing the game as she listened; it just told her over and over again what a fool she had been.

>>>> 

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat around the table, a pile of parchment, both new and used, were laid spread out before them. They each read through the ones in front of them. Once finished they moved it over to the person next to them, so that by the time they were finished, each of them had read all the notes that they had concerning the life of Tom Riddle.

Harry lowered his last parchment, and looked between his two friends. "Well, that's his life, as far as we know it. Now all we have to do is work out whereabouts in it he would have hidden the last Horcruxes." He paused as he pulled a blank piece of parchment towards him. "Now, we know he hid the ring at the family home, and we know that he hid the locket, originally, in the cave that he practiced his magic on those children."

Hermione and Ron nodded, neither speaking. There was still some tension between them from earlier in the day. And Ron was not in the best of moods, as Gryffindor had lost their match to Hufflepuff, and the look he kept giving Hermione indicated that he held her more than a little to blame. None of the three had spoken of the events of earlier, holding back as they tried to get to the bottom of the quest that they still had to complete.

"We know he has Hufflepuff's cup, but we don't know where it is." Harry continued, ignoring the atmosphere in the room. "We can also surmise that as he has used two items from founder members of Hogwarts, it is likely that he had at least one other from the other two, which we have no idea about. Dumbledore also believed that Horcruxes could be made of living creatures, which means that Nagini could be one."

"If those are our possible Horcruxes, then that would give us at least the six we need." Hermione looked at Harry, frowning. "Of course, if we could discover the location, it should not be too hard to find out what the object is when we get there." She pondered for a moment. "Delving into his mind is going to be the most unpleasant part."

Ron had been listening while he gazed down at one of the parchments and lifted his head and frowned, his brow creasing heavily. "There could be many parts of Tom Riddle's life that we know nothing about. We are basing all of this on what Dumbledore knew or managed to find out. And no matter how great a wizard he was, he still could not find enough people to give us Riddle's entire life."

Hermione looked at Ron. "He found the location of the ring and the locket, which has to count for something. And he knew Tom Riddle better than most people. We have to assume that Dumbledore knew what he was doing, otherwise we have nothing to go upon."

"I'm just saying we should not jump to conclusions." Ron looked at Harry, rolling his eyes as if Hermione was spouting rubbish. "We have to see if we can find out more about Tom Riddle."

Hermione shook her head, and sighed. "Ron, we know several places of importance to him already, I suggest we look into those before randomly catching rainbows." She turned from Ron, looking at Harry. "We know that the Orphanage and Hogwarts were important parts of his life, and we could keep the Riddle house as an option too."

"Chasing rainbows?" Ron got to his feet, looking at Hermione. "So my suggestions mean nothing now?"

Hermione glared at Ron. "I merely pointed out that we have several avenues to follow already, we don't need to burden ourselves with others just yet."

Harry looked between his two friends. "Sit down, Ron." He paused as Ron retook his seat. "Look, if you two are going to argue all evening, we'll never get anywhere." His eyes lingered on Ron. "Hermione has made a good point. We really need to cover what we know before we go adding to our list."

"I should have known you would have sided with her." Ron mumbled under his breath, as he lowered his gaze back to a piece of parchment that suddenly became very interesting to him.

Harry let out a sigh. "I suggest we start with the orphanage, as it seems like a good place. It was the place where Tom first met Dumbledore and learned the truth about himself." He scrambled around, looking for the parchment that contained the information he required. "We've just got to locate it, and then on the first available evening we have, we'll go and search it."

"We'll have to make sure we are prepared, Harry." Hermione's voice held an element of fear. "It's not going to be a simple case of walking in and picking up whatever is there. The place will be protected, like the cave was."

Harry nodded. "We'll be careful."

"We need to be more than careful, Harry." Hermione replied, looking at him as if he has suddenly gone mad.

"Afraid, Hermione?" Ron asked, his eyes blazing with sarcasm.

Hermione turned to face Ron, her expression one of disbelief. "Yes, I am. You know what happened to Dumbledore. And he was a much stronger wizard than even Harry."

Ron blushed and nodded his head. "Yeah," he mumbled.

Harry shook his head and got up from his chair. "I say we call it a night. It's been a long day." He began to gather together the parchments. "We'll discuss this again, and make plans as to leaving Hogwarts and getting to the Orphanage."

"Night, Harry." Ron got to his feet and moved towards the door.

Hermione looked at Harry, who was busy picking up the items they had been using, then followed after Ron, stopping him at the door. "We need to talk," she said, keeping her voice low so Harry could not hear them.

"Some other time, Hermione." Ron gave her an awkward smile. "I'm feeling a little tired right now."

Hermione watched as Ron turned away from her and disappeared through the door, pulling it shut behind him. She placed her hand on the door, and stood there for a moment, wondering how things had seemed to degenerate so quickly. She hoped that somehow things would right themselves in the morning.

She walked back into the room, moving quickly over to the table, as Harry tried to balance the last scroll in his arms. He gave her a smile that did not quite wipe away the questions in his eyes. She shook her head slowly, indicating that she did not want to talk about it right now, and with a brief goodnight, she disappeared into her room. As she left, she could feel Harry's gaze boring into her back, but she continue onwards without turning back.

That night, Hermione tossed and turned, as the events of the day haunted her dreams. The images of Harry, Ron and giant spiders swam about in her vision, making her grateful when morning finally came around.


	16. Chapter 16: A Lonely Path

**Chapter 16**

**A Lonely Path**

The next two weeks did not improve anything between the three friends, each seeming to go out of their way to avoid each other. Hermione was having trouble talking to Harry, despite wanting to more than anything, but there was some underlying tension beneath their friendship that made it hard for her to be herself around him. And as for Ron, he seemed to have gone out of his way to stop Hermione being alone with him. It was only during class and meals that she saw him, and then he seemed to get out of her company as soon as possible. And on top of all this, Harry and Ron did not seem to be as close as they had been.

Hermione sat on her bed, alone in her room, grateful that she no longer had to share. Everything seemed so much easier locked away from everyone. It gave her time to breathe, to weigh up all that was going on around her. She needed to find the solution that would make everything right between them; that would let them go back to how they were before.

She picked up some parchment that was lying scattered across the bed, in a very un-Hermione like way. Picking up her quill, she placed the nib against the blank page and paused as she heard the outer door open and bang closed a moment later. She listened as soft footfalls padded across the floor, before another door banged closed minutes later. Frowning, she put down her writing implements and climbed off of the bed, moving over to her door.

Stepping through into the common room, she took a look around, making sure that she had not misread the sounds that she had heard. Seeing the room empty, she stepped into the room and walked over to the door of Harry's room. She rapped her hand against the wood and waited.

"Yes?" The muffled sound of Harry's voice came quietly from behind the door.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione sounded a little concerned.

A squeak from the bed, as something was placed upon it, and then footsteps moving towards the door, before it opened a crack to reveal the face of Harry Potter. "Everything's fine." He gave her a lopsided smile. "I'm just…"

"I know." Hermione sighed heavily, and rested her hand on the door frame. "I just wanted to say sorry."

Harry frowned. "For what?" He looked at her questioningly.

Hermione paused for a moment, as if searching for the right words. "Ron and I are not helping, I know that. You have so much on your mind and we are just causing you more problems. I can't even remember the last time we all managed to sit around to work on the Horcruxes." She shook her head sadly. "It's like all that should be important has been lost behind petty squabbling."

A frown creased Harry's brow. "Hermione, you and Ron are important to me, and I know you need time to get yourself sorted out."

"But the Horcruxes…?" Hermione stuttered.

"Don't worry about them." Harry looked into her eyes, his own momentarily revealing something. But before she could read the message there it was gone. "Another couple of days won't hurt our quest."

Hermione stared at Harry, looking at him questioningly, her brow furrowed in thought. It was so unlike him. He had been obsessed with finding them, obsessed with finishing what Dumbledore had started and now… And now he was brushing them aside. He was acting so unlike the Harry she knew, and that made Hermione uncomfortable.

"I have a free period tomorrow morning, I can do some research if you want." Hermione smiled, wanting to shake the nasty feeling that she had come over her. "I could look over the scrolls again and see if there is anything that we've missed. See if I can find anything that details where this orphanage of Vol… of Tom's that could give us a clue as to where it is."

Harry nodded; a slight smile on his lips. "Sure, if you have nothing else to do." He peered into the room behind him. "I'd better get started on my homework, the last thing I need is a week full of detention." He looked at her briefly and closed the door behind him, shutting her out.

Hermione stood for a moment looking at the wood of the door, a little taken aback by Harry's behaviour. She looked at the clock that rested over the mantelpiece and put it down to the lateness of the hour. Moving back through the room, she paused on the threshold of her room, and gazed back at Harry's room, listening for sounds that would give her a clue as to what he was doing now that he was safely hidden behind his door.

>>>> 

_The moon was high in the sky, the soft fingers of light piercing the blackness of the room. A dark shape edged its way silently across the space from door to door, soft footsteps breaking the eerie silence. The fluttering wings of a beast in flight waved behind, rustling against the windless air, before in a billow it stole out of sight. Eyes followed it movements, stunned into motionless activity the body remained still, until finally it too moved across the door, following._

_Silence filled the corridors, an emptiness unnatural in its fullness. The being and not being all wrapped into one. But it was there, the shape. Not seen but felt, walking, creeping slowly through the quiet school._

_In the full light of the moon, the shape stopped, paused in the midnight hour. A faint rustle indicated to knowing ears that it was searching, before it once more made off through the quiet streets, seeking its destination. Keeping one step behind, the eyes followed, careful not to be heard by the prey that it sought._

_The wind whistled, carrying on it a new feeling, one that felt no longer lonely. There were more shapes, not so well hidden, but unseen in themselves. The air grew thick with unpleasantness. A foreboding hung heavy. Fingers reached and brushed against skin, pulling and tearing. Screams filled the air, familiar voices, in pain and suffering._

_A searing pain rented the body, as eyes grew dark…_

_>>>> _

Hermione's eyes shot open, a thin sheen of sweat coating her body, as she pushed away the image that had haunted her dreams. Breathing deeply, she fought to bring air into her lungs, trying to calm herself down. She ran her hand over her forehead, brushing the stray strands of hair from her face. Slowly, she sat up, her eyes searching the room, as if those that had lingered in her dreams were now waiting in the shadows.

Throwing back the covers, Hermione turned her body, placing her feet upon the floor. She looked towards the window, the curtains blowing in the night's breeze. An involuntary shiver rushed over her body, as the image of the dark shape appeared once more in her mind. She climbed out of the bed and moved over to the window, pulling it closed, ending the material's dance.

Lately she had been experiencing far too many bad dreams, all of them seeming more real than before. This one had been familiar and different all at the same time, like she knew that it was going to happen and yet was seeing it for the first time. She shook her head slowly, trying to clear away the thoughts that were haunting her. She had so much on her mind that she had ceased to be surprised by the number of times she had been pulled out of her dreams in such a fashion.

She walked over to the door of her room, wanting to escape from the memory of the dream. Her hand paused on the handle, as she heard the soft sounds coming from within the common room. Pulling the door open a crack, she peered through, searching for the owners of the voice, surprised to see Harry standing over by the fire looking down upon a seated Ron.

"…I'm sorry, Harry, but I don't see how I can help you any more." Ron's voice, though low, drifted over to where Hermione stood behind the door. "I think it's just getting harder for us all to be in the same room, and that just makes everything you are trying to do harder."

Harry frowned, shadows etching into his forehead in the low light, obviously kept that way so as not to wake Hermione. "I understand. If you and Hermione are having difficulties…"

Ron laughed, a little louder than he had been speaking. The bitterness in the sound caused Hermione to catch her breath. "Difficulties? Damn it, Harry, have you been paying attention to what is happening around you? We are not having difficulties, we're finished. She spends more time with you than she does with me, and when we are together she just attacks me all the time. I can't do anything right anymore." He paused, as the words swam around Hermione's head. "She's all yours."

Silence filled the room for a moment. "All mine?" Harry finally managed to stutter. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't give me that crap, Harry. I know that you and Hermione have something going on. Do you think I'm blind?"

"I think you are stupid." Harry retorted, stunned by Ron's words.

Ron got to his feet, his voice dripping with anger. Hermione was unable to see his face from where she stood, but she could imagine the expression on in. "I've seen you together, always in each others arms." He shook his head and laughed, once again, not a pleasant sound. "She can't even touch me when you are around; saying that she's afraid you will be offended, when what she really means it that she doesn't want you seeing us together because she wants you instead of me."

Harry's voice rose a little. "That is just stupid, Ron. She loves you."

"If this is love, Harry, then I can live without it." The red-haired wizard ran his fingers through his hair, messing it more than usual. "I can't do it anymore. I can't bear to see you and her snogging when you think I'm not looking. It's over, Harry. And not just me and Hermione."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry asked, knowing already what his friend was telling him.

"Goodbye, Harry." Ron replied, before storming towards the door, and not looking back. He disappeared through it moments later, the door closing with a resounding bang.

Harry dropped down into the chair, his head bowed over his lap, resting in his hands. His fingers intertwined with his hair, making it spike up on end. He muttered something to himself, too low for Hermione catch what he was saying. He remained sitting on the chair, lost in his thoughts.

Pulling the door open softly, Hermione stepped into the semi-dark room, her eyes fixed onto her friend. She made her way over to where he sat and stood before him. His eyes moved up the length of her body as her feet came into his view. She stood there looking down at him, until his gaze finally met hers.

"How long…?" Harry stopped, unable to finish the question.

"I heard enough." Hermione crouched down before him, his eyes remaining fixed to hers. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry sighed heavily. "This sounds familiar."

Hermione paused, just looking at the young man before her, seeing the pain in his eyes. "I didn't want this to happen. I don't know what happened."

"Was he telling the truth?" Harry asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"About what?" Hermione's gaze was filled with fear, as if she already knew what he was going to say.

Harry remained silent for a moment, looking unsure how to continue, before he finally found the words. "Did you stop loving Ron for me?"

"No." Hermione looked stunned. "No, I didn't. Harry, I don't know what happened to me and Ron, but it is not your fault. I just…"

Harry cut her off. "That isn't what I asked." His voice rose slightly with anger. "Did you stop loving Ron because you love me instead?"

Swallowing hard, Hermione rose to her feet, standing above Harry. She opened her mouth several times, but no sound emerged. Her mind was in a whirl, turning over and over the conversation he had shared with Ron, while at the same time trying to decipher what was going on with her. She had been acting differently recently, that was true, but loving Harry? She frowned heavily, her eyes leaving her companions, as she continued to search inside herself.

"It is true." Harry's voice broke through her thoughts.

Hermione's stared up at Harry, who had risen out of his chair and was standing in front of her. "No, it isn't like that."

"Tell the truth, Hermione." Harry's hands grasped her arms, just above the elbows. "You've been acting so strangely around both of us lately. The bad dreams, the rows, everything that reveals you have something on your mind. What is it, Hermione?"

"I don't love you, Harry!" She screamed, regretting her words the minute they were out of her mouth.

His grip loosened, until he let go of her, his eyes filled with hurt and surprise. He stood before her, stunned into silence, letting the minutes roll passed. His gaze dropped to the floor, as he appeared to search for answers.

"Harry…?" Hermione's voice was low, as if she were afraid that the sound would shatter all that was between them. "I didn't…"

Harry met her gaze, his own green eyes looking like a deep black in the low light. "You don't have to say anything. I wasn't thinking properly." He gave her a sad smile. "It's late and we need to sleep."

Almost as if on cue, the clock that stood on the mantelpiece chimed once. Her attention diverted by the sound, Hermione paused for a moment before reaching out for Harry's hand, but it was snatched away before she even brushed against his skin.

"Go to bed, Hermione." Harry turned and waked away, leaving her standing beside the fireplace.

Hermione watched his back as he walked towards his room, willing him to turn around so that she could clear the air, but he remained focused on his goal, almost as if she had ceased to exist.

"Harry." She called after him, her voice dripping with regret and sadness, but still he did not turn to look at her. She fell silent as her gaze followed him until he disappeared through his door, the sound of it closing resounding around the room like a death toll.

Lowering herself down into the chair that Ron had vacated, Hermione stared at the flickering flames of the fires, as she replayed over and over the two conversations that had taken place. She did not know where things had began to go bad for the trio, but she knew that if they were going to succeed in defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, they were going to have to sort out their differences and quick.

>>>> 

The following day, Hermione made her way down to breakfast. Entering the great hall, her eyes quickly scanned the length of the Gryffindor table, searching for Harry and Ron. Spotting the red haired wizard was easy, made more so by the matching coloured hair of the girl beside him. Ginny's eyes found Hermione's as she moved towards her seat, an anger blazing in her gaze as the younger witch turned back to her brother, and began to speak, which caused Ron to suddenly look in her direction.

As Hermione drew near, Ron stood up from his seat and walked over to her, his expression unchanging, and his eyes easy to read. She tried to give him a small smile, but it ended up looking more like a grimace. "Good morning, Ron."

"Hermione, we need to talk." Ron's voice sounded commanding, and it did not escape her notice that he had used the same sentence she had when she wanted to address her fears.

"Not now, Ron, I'm hungry." She retorted and edged passed him, not wanting to make a scene in front of the whole school. She took a step towards her seat, before feeling his hand on her arm.

"We can do this right here, Hermione," Ron glared at her, his voice low and menacing. "Or we can have this conversation in private."

Letting out a sigh, Hermione's eyes filled with anger at his treatment of her. She turned and looked at Ron. "Say what you have to say, Ron."

Ron looked at the faces gazing up at them from around the tables, before he turned and walked out of the great hall, pulling Hermione along with him, which only drew more stares from the other students. Once they were clear of the main doors, and standing off to one side in the hall, he released his hold.

"What do you think you are doing?" Hermione almost screamed as she rubbed her arm, where he had been holding her.

Looking around, Ron made sure that they were far enough from others before he continued, completely ignoring her question. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a while, Hermione, but one thing or another has stopped me. This seems like the ideal time…"

"What is this about?" Hermione interrupted, knowing exactly where this was leading. Ron did not know that she had overheard his conversation with Harry the previous night.

Ron looked at Hermione, his features etched with a mix of anger and something that looked to the witch to be regret. "We're finished, Hermione."

Hermione returned his stare. "Leaving me for Luna, are you, Ron?"

"What?" Ron stuttered, having been surprised by her question. "What makes you think this has anything to do with Luna?"

"It has as much to do with Luna as it has to do with Harry," Hermione replied, her eyes burning with anger and glee at catching him with his own argument. "Isn't that what you were accusing me of last night? Replacing you with Harry. I saw how you and Luna acted that day at the Quidditch match, and I'm sure it didn't stop there."

Ron grinded his teeth together, trying to hold back his temper. "And whose arms do I always find you running into, Hermione? Mine? No. Always Harry's." His face was beginning to grow pink, as he battled to keep his voice low and even. "You used every excuse you could for us not to be together, while you got rid of me so that you and he could find time together to snog behind my back. I bet you had a lot of laughs about how you got one over on me."

"It wasn't like that, Ron. You know how upset Harry's been lately." Hermione looked into Ron's eyes, searching for understanding. "After everything that has happened, you know how much he needs us."

"I needed you too, Hermione." His voice raised a pitch, but was edged with sadness.

Hermione's voice dropped into almost a whisper. "I'm sorry, Ron. I didn't mean…"

"It's too late for sorry, Hermione." Ron sounded harsh and final. "If only you had given me as much attention as you gave Harry." He shook his head. "No wonder you wouldn't help Ginny."

Almost as if she felt a second set of eyes on her, Hermione turned towards the main door and saw the aforementioned witch standing watching them. Hermione's eyes blazed with anger as she watched the young woman smile at her. Turning suddenly, she met Ron's eyes with her brown gaze that seemed to be several shades darker.

"You've been listening to Ginny." Hermione shook her head regrettably. "I hope you are happy, Ron, in everything that comes into your life. I'm sorry that our friendship had to end this way, but if you are willing to let your sister poison what we had because she lost Harry…"

"Ron!" Ginny's voice cut Hermione off.

Ron looked over at his sister, before turning back to Hermione, his eyes meeting hers, but he said nothing as he began to move away from her. He spun around suddenly as Hermione grabbed his arm.

"What about the quest?" Hermione asked, her voice low and urgent.

"Like you and Harry needed me, Hermione." He retorted before he freed his arm from her hold and continued to walk towards his sister.

No longer feeling up to eating breakfast, having lost her appetite, Hermione walked away in the opposite direction, heading back to her rooms. Her mind was in a whirl as she tried to work out what had led her to the path she was not on. She felt suddenly very alone, as if life had run away from her, taking everything that she cared about with it.

>>>> 

Entering the common room she shared with Harry, Hermione was not surprised to find it empty. She had not seen Harry since the previous evening, and he had not been at breakfast. Pushing thoughts of him out of her mind, she moved over to the table and sat herself down in the chair. She had a free period, as she had mentioned to Harry the previous night, and having managed to complete all her work up to date, she decided to do as she had said, and would work on the Horcrux problem. Being as they appeared to have lost Ron, she knew that they would have to make the use of all the time they had.

She rose from the chair and walked over to Harry's door, knocking softly to check that he was not inside. As there was not reply, she pushed open the door and walked over to the chest where the young wizard stored all the notes they had been working on.

Lifting the lid, she noticed the increased number of scrolls that had joined the once that she had read. She pulled one of the new ones out of the chest, and opened it, scanning her eyes over Harry's familiar scrawl. From what she could see, he had been working very hard over the last two weeks, without informing her or Ron, not that either of them had noticed what he had been doing. She settled down onto the floor and began to read the first few lines when a voice behind her startled her out of her task.

"What are you doing in here?" Harry moved quickly to where she was sitting, and grabbed the scroll from out of her hand.

"I'm reading up on your notes, so that I can help." Hermione looked up at the young wizard, surprise written on her face.

Harry rolled up the scroll and tossed it back into the chest, before shutting it. "I don't need your help." He glanced back at her. "I'm going to do it on my own, like I should have done from the beginning."

Hermione rose to her feet. "Why? You said you needed us."

"I guess I was wrong." Harry looked at the entrance to his room. "Don't slam the door on your way out."

Hermione stood looking at Harry for a moment, unable to speak. His actions had taken her breath away, and she no longer had the power to work out what was happening around her. So without saying another word, she walked over to the door and closed it behind her.

>>>> 

Later that night, the wind howled outside, which did not help Hermione who was having trouble sleeping. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and forget about the last twenty-four hours, but every time she tried to sleep, her mind was filled with the sounds and sights of her two friends turning their back on her. She felt tears prickle her eyes as she brushed away the thought of Harry and Ron.

She was just about to attempt sleeping once more, when she heard a noise coming from the common room. Creeping out of bed, she moved stealthily over to the door, and pressed her ear to it, listening for signs that it was not Ron and Harry having another secret meeting.

Pulling open the door a crack, she stared into the darkness. The only light was a few rays of moonlight that stretched through the room like fingers. She heard rather than saw movement in the room, the soft footsteps of someone as they crept through the room.

She heard a rustle, and then into sight came the billowing shape of wings, before they wrapped around the dark form and disappeared.


	17. Chapter 17: To Seek and To Find

**Chapter 17**

**To Seek And To Find**

Hermione remained still as the main door opened and closed, silence once more descending back over the room. The darkness seemed to crowd into the room, as if the figure at blotted out light with its presence. Once she was sure that the danger hand passed, she knew that revealing herself would have been a bad move, she let out the breath that she had not realised she was holding.

Talking a step into the common room, her wand flying into her hand, Hermione looked over at Harry's open door. Moving quickly, she stood on the threshold, looking in, seeing his bed clothes rumpled but the bed empty. A quick scan of the interior revealed the young wizard to be missing. She rushed through the door, seeking and searching, but she could find no trace of a struggle. Her eyes returned to the door of the room, as if she could see in her mind what had happened.

She groaned loudly, as it all became clear. She got to her feet and ran over to the chest, where Harry kept all their notes on the trail of the Horcruxes. Pulling open the lid, she jumped slightly as the wood cracked against the wall, but it did not distract her too long from her task. She rummaged through the scrolls and parchment until she found the one she was seeking.

Unwinding the parchment, her eyes scanned over the familiar page, even though she had only caught a brief look of it the previous day. Her eyes scanned downwards, taking in the diagram and words that lay before her. She frowned and mentally kicked herself for being so stupid.

"What are you doing, Harry?" She asked the night, as she rose from the floor, her hand gripping tightly to the scroll.

Rushing back over to the door, she ran through the common room and headed back to her own room. Flinging the scroll onto her bed, she pulled open the wardrobe and grabbed the first clothes that came to hand. Pulling on a pair of jeans and a dark coloured jumper, she reached for her cloak and picked up the unrolled parchment from the bed. She shook her head as she scrambled around for her shoes.

Once she returned to the common room, she pulled her cloak around her and then stopped suddenly as she stood before the door, her hand already outstretched to open it. Her thoughts finally caught up with her as she realised there was no way that she could follow Harry without being seen. He had taken the cloak, and if she took a step outside the door there was a good chance that Filch would catch her sneaking around. And she did not have the time to explain herself if she wanted to stop Harry doing whatever it was he was planning on doing.

But she knew that she did not have any choice, she had to follow him. He had not been in his right mind lately. He had become withdrawn. The last time they had spoken he had told her that the search could wait. Oh, she had been foolish to have fallen for such a line. Harry give up on his quest? She had been too wrapped up in herself to realise what was happening around her.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she pulled open the door and looked about for signs of life. She listened for a moment, and when she could not distinguish any sounds of movement, she took a careful step outside into the corridor, and pulled the door carefully closed behind her. It was a moment or two later that she took the first tentative step out into the open, feeling an air of nervousness sweep over her.

Eyes searching and ears listening intently, Hermione began her walk, unsure where she was going. She wanted more than anything to follow where Harry had gone, but it would be impossible for her to go that far without being see. Filch almost had a sixth sense as to where the trio had left the grounds and was always lurking nearby. Her only hope was to find another way to get out unseen, and that meant only one thing, she would have to find the spell to turn herself invisible, which was going to be no easy task considering what Professor Slughorn had told them.

Making her way down the corridor, Hermione was pleasantly surprised or more precisely, shocked to find that she had managed to go so far without being caught. She paused as she came to a corner, and fell silent as she listened for footsteps or other signs of people walking around. Once she decided that she could hear nothing, she peeked around the edge of the wall, her eyes taking in every detail of the path before her. Certain that it was safe for her to proceed, she stepped into the new hallway and continued on her way, gaining courage with each step. But despite her progress, she was annoyed that it was taking so long. Harry could get himself into serious trouble while she was creeping around the school.

She picked up her pace, while trying to keep her footsteps light. She was grateful that she had managed to pick out a pair of trainers, which kept the noise down as she walked. Fighting the urge to run, she moved carefully through the darkened school, her goal of the library fixed firmly in her head.

As if her luck was making her careless, Hermione's thoughts turned away from what could happen on her journey and instead focused on what Harry was doing or at least trying to do. He had obviously continued working through their notes while she and Ron were busy dealing with their own problems. A pang of guilt spread over her as she realised how selfish she had been, and now she was feeling even worse as she thought about Harry out there on his own. She berated herself silently, as she continued on her way.

"Miss Granger?" A voice broke through the silent corridor, echoing in the quietness.

Hermione did not need to turn to know who the owner of the voice was. She closed her eyes and frowned, before turning slowly to meet the gaze of her captor. Her eyes opened as she stared into the face of Professor Stygian.

The Professor and the student stood looking at each other. Hermione could feel her cheeks reddening at being caught so openly by the one teacher who unnerved her. Stygian kept her gaze on the young witch's eyes, as if she could read her inner thoughts.

"I am sure you have a perfectly good explanation for walking around the school at this time of night?" Professor Stygian's eyebrow rose questioningly, indicating that she in fact knew that Hermione did not.

Hermione paused for a moment, her mind in a whirl. "I was going to the library." She admitted, knowing there was not point lying, at least not yet anyway.

"The library. I see." The Professor once more sounded as if she did not mean what she said. "And what in the library is so important that you find yourself sneaking around in order to retrieve it?"

Fidgeting slightly, Hermione paused again. "I needed a book for my homework. I've been so busy all day that I did not get the chance to go earlier." She swallowed hard, knowing before she had even finished that the Professor would not believe her. She sounded unconvincing to her own ears. "I wanted to get it while I remembered."

Professor Stygian smiled, the death's head appearing again, sending a shiver down Hermione's spine. "You know that you should have asked permission to wander around the halls this late, Miss Granger. Being Head Girl, you more than anyone must know the rules." The smile disappeared as she indicated back down the passage that Hermione had come. "Follow me."

Without exchanging another word, the Professor and young witch retraced Hermione's steps, at least part of the way, as they walked to Professor Stygian's office.

>>>> 

The Professor's office was dark, lit only by a single candle that rested on the desk. Scattered around beneath it were a pile of books at various stages of reading. Some were open at the first page, while others were halfway completed. The flickering flame danced, sending strange patterns across the pages, making the symbols on the pages move eerily.

Stepping slightly to one side, the professor let Hermione enter the room, before following her inside. She pointed to a chair within the circle of the candle light for the young woman to sit on, then she moved over to her own seat and made herself comfortable.

"Miss Granger, I am sorely disappointed in seeing you wandering around tonight." Professor Stygian's eyes glared, almost as if they shone with a light of their own making. "If you are having trouble with your work, you know that as your House Head, I am available to offer any help that I can." She paused, letting her words sink in. "It is not strictly speaking encouraged, but I could have written you a pass to allow you some added time in the library. Madam Price would have been acceptable to this, I am sure, given advanced warning."

Hermione looked guiltily at the professor. "I was not thinking, Professor Stygian."

"That is blatantly obvious, Miss Granger." Suddenly she smiled, as if she had said something funny. "I trust that you will think more in future. Not thinking can lead you into great trouble, even that which we may not see at first."

Hermione nodded as a thought came into her head. She had not seen the professor as she had been walking, and she had not heard her either. It was as if she had suddenly appeared out of the air. Shaking her head, Hermione tried to replay the series of events that had transpired before. She was not concentrating, that was for sure, but she would have heard something. No one could walk that quiet. She lowered her gaze to her lap, before flicking her attention briefly at the professor's feet, spotting the traditional shoes that Stygian wore. Those were the kind that tended to echo as they hit the bare floor of the school corridors.

Returning her gaze to Stygian's face, she nodded. "I will, Professor Stygian."

The death's head reappeared. "Good. People who learn from their mistakes are wise; those that do not are fools." She turned away from Hermione and looked at the candle, the flame appearing to dance in her gaze. "Even this meeting is a lesson, Miss Granger." she said as she once more stared at Hermione's face. "If you learn from it, then this conversation is not wasted. But if you do not learn, who knows where your foolishness might lead you."

Hermione stared at the professor, more than a little confused by what she was saying. As if something in Stygian's words had brought about a thought, Hermione suddenly remembered Harry, and she grew impatient. She needed to get out of the office and find the spell that she needed. The professor, if she noticed the difference in the young witch, did not reveal anything.

Professor Stygian looked at Hermione, making the young woman feel more than a little awkward, there was something about the older witch's stare that made Hermione imagine that the professor could read her, not just her expression but actually read what was going inside her. Looking as if she was about to speak again, Stygian opened her mouth, when a ruckus outside her office drew her attention.

"Excuse me, Miss Granger." The Professor smiled apologetically before she left the room, not looking back as she did.

Hermione remained where she was, it would have been wrong of her to leave without the professor's permission. She gazed around the room, as if she was looking for clues about Professor Stygian, trying to grasp what made the woman the way she was. But a quick glance revealed no personal belongings at all. Nothing that revealed Stygian's likes or hobbies, or anything to do with her life outside of teaching.

On the desk, the open books finally caught the young witch's attention. Looking briefly at the door to see if the professor was coming back, Hermione leant forward and ran her eyes over the page. It was a book of spells, which did not surprise Hermione in the least. What else would the professor have been reading? Hermione surmised that she was working on her next class.

Turning the pages, Hermione flicked her gaze over each of the spells, nothing that she saw was outstandingly different from the items they had been informed about or tested in class. Listening for a moment, she could hear the Professor's voice calling out to whatever it was that had called her away from her office. About to give up her reading, Hermione turned the page, and there right before here was something that made her gasp with surprise.

She pulled the book closer for a better look, totally focused on the spell laid out before her. Her eyes took on an intenseness that seemed to make her eyes grow several shades darker. Hermione mouthed the words as she read, as if testing them for size, repeating them silently to herself, until they fixed themselves into her mind.

A sound from outside the door, indicated the return of the professor, and flicking back the pages to the one that the book had originally been opened on, Hermione sat back in her chair, and let out a long breath, trying to calm her now rapidly beating heart. The door opened to reveal the Professor, her brow creased with frustration.

"Something really needs to be done about that Peeves." Professor Stygian remarked as she pulled her door closed and retook her seat. "I thought the school was falling down and it turns out that the ghost is having some 'fun'" She gaze Hermione another look at the death's head grin, and once more focused on the young witch. "I hope that you made the most of my absence, Miss Granger. Time to dwell on one's wrongdoings is always beneficial. And now to bed." She looked at Hermione. "I shall write you a hall pass for your return to your room. I would not like to see you get into any more trouble."

Hermione smiled nervously. "Thank you, Professor Stygian."

The Professor wrote a quick note and handed it to the young witch, a look in her eyes that Hermione could not quite make out. There was something there, as if she knew that her note would not be used for getting back to the Head Girl's quarters.

"Make sure you watch your step, Miss Granger. I would hate for us to have to go through a repeat of tonight." The Professor got up from her seat and held open her door. "Remember, learn from your mistakes so you do not make them again."

Hermione rose from her own chair and passed the Professor, heading back out into the corridor. She walked a short distance down the route towards her room, before stopping as she heard Stygian's door close. Flicking her eyes up and down the corridor, she pulled out her wand and spoke softly. "Oculus non animadverto."

The young Hogwart's student, pointed her wand and frowned as she looked down at her hand, still able to see it before her face. She sighed loudly and shook her head. "How could I have forgotten the words already? The Professor's book definitely gave that as the invisibility spell." She once more raised her hand to her face, seeing her fingers wriggling before her.

She looked around her again and moved closer to the wall, hoping that if she heard someone coming, she would have time to disappear into one of the alcoves or behind one of the statues that were peppered around the school. She had to get to the library. If the spell book that Professor Stygian had on her desk could not help Hermione get to Harry, she would have to find one that could. She just hoped that she could get to Harry before he did something stupid. The time that she had spent in the professor's room had made a dent in the precious time that she had.

Sneaking quietly and speedily towards the library, Hermione stopped suddenly as she heard the familiar footsteps of Filch, wandering around the school corridors. She let out a frustrated sigh, which drew the caretaker's gaze right in her direction. In fact, the man was staring right at her. She got ready to pull out the note that she had been given by Professor Stygian, when Filch's actions made her cease her movements.

"Who's there?" Filch's voice echoed around the corridor, his head moving as if searching for something or someone.

Hermione, who was standing right in the line of his sight, once more looked down at her body, seeing herself as plain as day. She took a step into the middle of the corridor, putting herself very obviously in front of the caretaker, but he merely looked passed her, searching the length of the passageway.

_I don't understand_, Hermione thought for a moment, before the penny dropped. _He can't see me. The spell worked._ Taking a slow step towards Filch, she paused again, making sure that he was unsure of her presence. Then carefully, making sure not to make any noise, she passed right passed the caretaker, holding her breath so as not to draw attention to herself.

When she had managed to put a safe distance between herself and Filch, she stopped and turned back to look at him, as he continued to search around him, until eventually he gave up and continued down the corridor, the way that Hermione had come. She smiled to herself and continued on her way, making a slight detour in her destination, no longer needing the library.

>>>> 

Hermione stood in the darkness, a smile playing at her lips, as she watched for a moment, waiting to find the right time to make her move. She felt oddly conscious about her surroundings, which caused her to feel a little anxious as she stood silent, just the sound of soft breathing filling the air around her. Her gaze worked slowly around the room, making one last check, before she leant over, her mouth close to a visible ear.

"Spiders," she whispered as she gently traced her finger down the sleeping Ron's cheek, then stepped back as he woke up suddenly.

"Ahhhh! Spiders!" Ron's voice rang out around the quiet room, as his hands moved to his face, brushing away the creepy crawlies that he believed to be walking over his skin. "Get them off! Get them off!" He sat up in bed, still working frantically at his face, as another voice joined in the chorus of sound.

"Shut up, Ron!" Dean called from his bed. "You're just having a silly dream." The sound of three bodies returning to a comfortable position, accompanied by the sound of annoyed tutting took over from Ron's cries.

As the others settled back into sleep, Ron remained sitting, his hands still checking for signs, although they had slowed down from their frantic search. He lay back down in his bed, his head hitting the pillow as Hermione reached out to touch his arm.

"Ah!" Another scream rented through the air.

"Damn it, Ron!" Dean called out once more. "If you can't sleep go downstairs so the rest of us can."

Muttering to himself, and suddenly not in the mood for closing his eyes, Ron climbed out of the bed and grabbed his dressing gown, and pulled it around his body as he moved over to the room's door. He looked back at his bed, as if he was expecting to see a giant spider lying in his place. Turning, he moved down the stairway to the common room, grateful to have a little light.

"Ron?" Hermione's voice reached him, causing him to spin around suddenly, looking for the source.

"Who's there?" Ron looked around nervously.

"It's me. Hermione."

Ron looked around the room, scanning for the young witch, frowning as his eyes found no sign of her. "Where are you? I'm not in the mood for playing games."

"I'm by the staircase." Hermione took a couple of steps forward, making sure that her footsteps could be heard.

"I can't see you." Ron declared, not at all surprising Hermione.

Hermione laughed lightly, as she continued to walk towards him. "I'm invisible." She reached out a hand and laid it lightly on Ron's arm, making him jump.

Ron raised his arm in front on his carefully, moving it slowly as he moved it in front of him, gasping as his hand touched her. "Hermione? How did you…? What are you doing here?"

"Ron, it's Harry." Hermione looked at Ron, watching the expression on his face, saddened to see that it held a look of hatred.

Ron huffed. "Like it isn't always." He spat, and moved away from where she was standing, turning his back on her. "For a moment, I thought you might have come here to talk to me, but no…it's always Harry."

"Listen, Ron," Hermione moved quickly so that she was standing in front of him, stretching her hand out to stop his movements. "Harry's left Hogwarts. He's gone after the next Horcrux on his own. We've got to help him."

Ron came to a sudden stop as he walked into Hermione's unseen hand. "Will you stop that?" He grumbled, as he looked right through her. "How can I talk to you if I can't see you?"

"We don't have time, Ron. We've got to go after him." Hermione's voice rose with frustration. "He needs our help."

"I don't care." Ron's voice was filled with anger. "I've had enough of living my life around Harry Potter. Harry does something stupid, so I have to come running. Has he once thought about me? No. Did he care that he took you away from me? No. As far as I'm concerned, if he wants to do something stupid and get himself killed, he can. But he can do it without me."

"Ron!" Hermione's hand flicked out suddenly, catching the young wizard by surprise, as he had not seen the slap coming. "How can you say that? Harry is our friend."

Ron laughed bitterly. "No, friends do not sneak off in the middle of the night without telling their friends where they are going." He practically spat each word. "Friends do not keep secrets from their friends. And they most definitely don't chase their friends' girlfriends."

"Grow up, Ron! This is not about you and me!" Hermione was now shouting as loudly as Ron was. "Harry Potter is out there trying to stop Lord Voldemort, and you are worried about losing a little snogging opportunity!" She took a step away from him, sighing loudly, her anger allowing her to use the dark lord's name. "This is what broke us up, not Harry."

"What did?" Ron's voice lowered, as he sounded confused.

"You did." Hermione's voice was little more than a whisper. "You stopped caring about what we had to do, and you put yourself first, all the time."

Ron let out a loud laugh, which did not sound at all pleasant to Hermione's ears. "Always putting myself first? That's rich coming from you, who never put me first at all. It was all Harry this and Harry that. You even stopped letting us have time together because you were afraid of upsetting him." He dramatically pointed, as if he knew where Harry was. "When did you ever think about how I felt? Or what I wanted?"

"We don't have time for this, Ron!" Hermione screamed once more, not sure if she was angry because his words were telling her what she was afraid of hearing or because he was unwilling to help her help Harry. "Are you coming?"

Silence fell between the two, both standing still. Hermione stared at Ron, while Ron looked at a piece of wall, being unable to see the young witch. The sound of their angered breath filled the room, mingled with the creaks of the old building and the gentle ticking of the mantle clock.

"Please, Ron, don't give up on the quest now." Hermione took a step towards Ron, her voice low and almost begging in its tone. "He can't do this on his own. He's gone out blind, Ron, and he'll end up getting himself killed. Do you want He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to win?"

Ron remained silent for a moment, still gazing off at the wall, before he finally found his voice. "Okay, I'll help. But I'm not doing this for you or for Harry. I'm doing this to stop Him from winning. Is that clear?"

"I don't care why you are doing it, Ron, just as long as you help." Hermione sounded disappointed just the same, but she was not going to argue. They really did not have the time.

"I'll just put on some clothes," Ron said, as he turned towards the stairs. "You stay there."

Ron disappeared up to his room, as Hermione turned to look at the clock, hoping that Harry was still alright. It was taking an age for her to get after him, and she would hate herself if she arrived too late to do any good.

>>>> 

"Are you sure you know the spell to make us visible?" Ron asked quietly, as he and Hermione dashed along the corridor that would lead them to the secret exit.

Hermione nodded, even though Ron could not see her do so. "Yes, Ron, I know the spell." She reached a corner in their route and stopped suddenly, and was bashed into for the umpteenth time by Ron, as he failed to be aware of her intention to stop. "Would you be careful?" She hissed at him.

"If you told me you were stopping…" Ron began, then fell silent as he listened for signs of people walking about. The corridor was silent, as they had all been. "I think I preferred the cloak better, at least we could see each other."

Poking her head around the corner, Hermione saw that the way was clear, and she smiled to herself as she noted that the secret door they wanted was just up ahead. She took a careful step into the new corridor, and whispered for Ron to follow. Two soft footfalls made their way down the passageway and they stopped without incident in front of the door.

"Ready?" Hermione asked, as she gently pulled the latch that revealed the entrance.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Ron replied, sounding a little nervous like he tended to when they had to sneak out of the school. It reminded Hermione how unlike his twin brothers he was, which was not entirely a bad thing.

Stepping through the door, the two continued on their way until finally they emerged in the more than familiar surroundings of Hogsmeade. Hermione looked about her, not sure what she was expecting to see, but years of sneaking around in places they were not supposed to be, had made her cautious.

"Are you sure this is where he was coming?" Ron suddenly sounded unsure, as if he thought this was some trick of Hermione's.

Hermione took a few steps forward, her gaze taking in each of the buildings that littered both sides of the tiny street. "Yes, I'm sure." She reached back, searching for Ron with her outstretched hand. "Where are you?"

"Here." His voice came from her left.

Reaching out she grabbed his arm, and pulled him slightly towards one of the buildings. "We'll go around the back. If Harry's notes are correct, he should be just along the road. I just hope we haven't missed him."

"If he's back in bed and you've dragged me out here…" Ron began, but was silenced with a 'hush' from Hermione. He muttered something under his breath, which was too quiet for the young witch to hear.

Walking in silence, the two moved behind the row of buildings, carefully making their way towards the address that Harry had scrawled down on the top of the parchment. Hermione led, with Ron following close behind, her hand now holding his, so that they would not lose each other. As they edged closer, their steps became slower, as if she was afraid that moving them forward too fast would draw attention to them both.

She stopped in front of a window, pulling Ron to stand beside her. There through the window, basking in the light of a candle was Harry Potter, a book resting in his lap, as he sat in a high backed chair. He looked up, his mouth moving as he talked to someone that sat in the chair opposite him, unable to be seen from Hermione's view point.

Before either Hermione or Ron could say anything, a white haired figure rose from the seat and looked directly at the window. He stared for a moment, his familiar face breaking into a small smile. He turned away and addressed Harry, before leaving the young wizard, who returned his attention back to the book he was looking at.

Suddenly to their right, Hermione and Ron saw a low light break into the dark night air, as the shape of the old man appeared. They remained very still, trying not to make a noise, not even with their breath.

"There's not point you both getting cold," Aberforth Dumbledore smiled, looking directly at the place Hermione and Ron stood. "Come in to the warm."

Knowing that they could not pretend they were not there, Hermione and Ron walked over to the door and slipped passed Aberforth, realising just how cold it had been outside. They looked back at the old wizard, who pointed them into the room where they had seen Harry.

As the three entered the room, Aberforth looked at Harry. "Looks like there are people here to see you."

Harry looked at Aberforth and then towards the door, looking a little puzzled as he saw no one. "Who?"

Raising his wand, Aberforth pointed it at Ron and Hermione, who appeared before a startled Harry seconds later.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, as he rose from the seat, staring at the two new arrivals.

"More importantly, what are you doing here?" Ron replied, not looking or sounding the tiniest bit happy.


	18. Chapter 18: A Glimmer of Hope

**Chapter 18**

**A Glimmer of Hope**

The silence hung in the room for some time, as the four occupants stood looking at each other, waiting for one of the others to speak. Harry's eyes flicked between Ron and Hermione, while they remained staring at Harry. Aberforth walked around the room, oddly making little noise as he did. He came and stood between the three Hogwarts students, taking it in turns to rest his gaze on each, as if willing them to answer each others questions.

"As it seems like we are not getting anywhere with all this staring, why don't we all take a seat and have some tea?" His voice seemed to break the spell, causing all three of the students to look at him. "Ah, that's better." He pointed to each of the chairs before walking away towards the door. "I shall be back soon, make yourselves at home."

Ron, standing almost directly in front of a chair, lowered himself down into it, his eyes once more finding Harry. "So, what is this all about, Harry? Why are you here?"

Hermione flicked her gaze between Ron and Harry, not moving towards a chair, while Harry retook the seat he had vacated only moments before.

"Why do you suddenly care?" Harry turned on Ron. "Either of you?" His eyes then found Hermione's. "You proved over and over that you didn't want to complete the task of finding the Horcruxes."

"That's not true." Hermione's voice was a pitch higher than normal, annoyed at Harry's accusations. "We have been helping you."

Ron shook his head. "I knew it was a waste of time coming here." He got up from his chair, ready to leave.

"Sit down, Ron," Hermione commanded, and then took her own advice, getting comfortable in a nearby chair. "Look, Harry," her voice back to normal. "We started this together and we want to help you. I know we're all been having problems at the moment…"

"Huh," Ron interjected.

Hermione glared at Ron and then continued. "But that doesn't mean that finding the Horcruxes is not important to us. We are here, aren't we?"

Harry glanced between the two. "Which leads me to my next question, how did you know I was here?"

Ron looked at Hermione, his eyebrows raised questioningly. Harry also turned his focus to the young witch sitting across from him. Hermione had the decency to blush slightly.

"I…" She began.

"You went through my things, didn't you?" Harry cut her off.

Hermione stared at Harry and shook her head. "It wasn't like that."

"Then what was it like?" Harry practically growled.

"I heard something in the common room, and saw this dark shape flap across the room and disappear. I wasn't sure what was going on and I thought it had come to hurt you." Hermione paused, feeling suddenly very foolish. "It was only when I got to your room and found it empty that I realised it was you putting on the cloak before leaving the room."

Harry let out a slow breath. "And you looked through my things because…?"

"I was worried about you, Harry. I didn't want you creeping around on your own, doing something foolish." Hermione stopped again, looking at Harry's expression, seeing how hurt he looked at her statement. "I thought you had found the next Horcrux and were going after it alone."

Ron sat forward in his chair. "But it appears you were just coming out for tea, so I'm going back."

"And how are you going to get back into Hogwarts unseen?" Hermione asked, looking more than a little smug.

"The same way we came out, you can perform the spell on me." Ron once more rose from the chair ready to be made invisible again.

Hermione looked at Ron as if he had suddenly turned mad. "When we go back to Hogwarts, we will all go back together." She smiled. "And anyway, who will perform the spell to make you visible again if you go back alone?"

Ron opened his mouth to speak, but was beaten by Harry. "This is getting us no where." He let out another sigh, and was about to speak when the door to the room opened and the old wizard walked back in carrying a tray with steaming cups of tea on it.

Aberforth looked at the three students, a smile on his lips and his eyes twinkling. "Tea is so much better done the proper way, don't you think?" He walked over to the table between them and placed the tray on it. "I see you've all managed to find your tongues." He chuckled.

Hermione smiled and looked a little bashful. "Thank you." She reached over and started to pour some milk into her tea, as Ron and Harry looked at Aberforth.

"Or maybe not." He exclaimed as the room once more fell into silence. "It would seem that it is up to me to explain what is going on." He looked at Harry and smiled warmly. "Unless you would care to do the honours?"

Harry nodded and looked between Hermione and Ron. "Well, as you both know, we've hit a bit of a brick wall finding the Horcruxes. And I've been over and over the notes and information we have, and still I have no idea where to start." He paused and looked at Aberforth. "Then I remembered that Professor Dumbledore had a brother, he attended the funeral, and I kind of thought…"

"Harry thought that I might be able to help," Aberforth finished with a smile. "And as I had just explained to Harry before you to suddenly appeared," he once more chuckled at his little pun. "I was given some of Professor Dumbledore's things after the funeral." He suddenly looked old as he saddened at the memory of burying his brother. "I was just showing Harry an old book of tales and pictures that Albus complied throughout his life."

Ron looked at Harry. "Is there anything in there that helps?"

Harry shrugged. "I've not looked through it yet, but there might be something." He looked at Hermione. "Do you want to have a look, you were always better at this type of thing than me?"

Getting out of her seat, she leant across and took the book that Harry offered her. She settled back in her chair and opened the first page, running her eyes quickly over the writing. "This goes back ages," she declared, her eyes wide open.

Aberforth chuckled again. "Yes, Albus liked to make a note of everything. He was a very thorough old wizard." He got up from his chair. "You should see how much of his belongings I brought back from Hogwarts with me."

"Do you think you might have something that relates to his meeting Tom Riddle?" Harry asked, getting a little excited.

"Tom Riddle? Hmmm." Aberforth scratched his chin thoughtfully, causing his long beard to move against his chest. "I'm not sure I know of anything in particular, but you are more than welcome to have a look."

Harry sighed. "What we really need is another look at the memory. But with Professor Dumbledore gone, I don't suppose we'll get to see any of those again."

Another chuckle rose from Aberforth. "Ah, you need to look in the Pensieve." The elderly wizard walked over to where the three sat, each looking up at him expectantly and appearing more than a little surprised. "Like I said, Albus kept everything. I do believe that he left some memories in jars. I've not looked at them properly, but we can see if there is anything that might be useful."

Rising from his chair, Harry looked at the old wizard, his mouth open unable to find the words he wanted. His lips moved several times before he finally found his voice. "If you don't mind, we really could do with seeing whether Dum…um…Professor Dumbledore left us some idea as to where Voldemort might have left the Horcruxes." He looked at Hermione and Ron. "He must have left us some clue. He would never have left us in the dark."

"He didn't really have a lot of choice in the matter, Harry," Hermione reminded him sadly.

"Well, there's only one way to find out, let's go have a look and see what we have stored downstairs." Aberforth walked over to the door, pulling it open. "Are you coming, Mr Weasley?"

Ron got to his feet and looked at Hermione. "Coming?"

Hermione shook her head. "You three go, I'll work my way through the book and see if there is anything in here that could help." She smiled as she watched Harry, Ron and Aberforth disappear out of the door, and settled down to looking through the large book that rested in her lap. Slipping off the chair, she laid it down on the floor and began to search through it, following the course of Albus Dumbledore's life.

>>>> 

It had seemed like hours that Hermione had flicked through the pages of the book, watching as pictures grinned or played out their actions to her. Various faces that she had never seen nor would ever be able to put a name to flicked past her eyes. She had started off feeling more than a little guilty looking so closely into Dumbledore's life, but as she turned each page, it felt like he had given her permission to look at the man behind the Headmaster.

She read articles and notes, not all in the Professor's own hand. The photographs had been cut out of newspapers or taken with an old camera, and some seemed to have just been thought into existence. There was no other way for her to describe it; they merely seemed to have been willed into the book, like a snapshot of a thought or a feeling.

As she worked her way though his life, she spotted little bits and pieces that helped her to recognise what had made Dumbledore the way he had been. She saw his life with his family, instantly spotting the now familiar face of his brother standing beside him. She could see the family resemblance as they grinned from the picture, both looking far younger than she had ever seen them. Each turn, brought her closer and closer to the time she wanted, and although she knew that she could have bypassed the years before Dumbledore had met Tom Riddle, she kept on flicking through the years.

Finally, she reached the period she was most interested in, and read a few of the entries that related to finding the boy. Inside there were some pictures of Dumbledore with Tom Riddle, sitting on the bed at the orphanage. Again, they appeared to be strange memory snapshots, not real photos at all. She paused, staring hard at the pictures, watching as it played out its little scene. It was hard looking at the young boy in the photo imagining him turning into the most powerful and evil wizard that she had ever known. He seemed kind of confused and lost.

Turning her attention to a little patch of writing nearby, she barely got the first line read when a sound outside caught her attention. She stopped her movements, keeping very still, barely breathing so that she could listen carefully. Another sound reached her ears, definitely coming from outside in the street. Climbing to her feet, she walked carefully to the window, intoning the spell that would once more make her invisible.

She reached the window and gazed out into the street, which seemed oddly deserted. She flicked her eyes down the length, from one end to the other, as far as she could see, but there was nothing there. She assumed she must have heard a cat or some other creature wandering around in the night. For a moment, Hermione debated going outside for a better look, but she realised she was just fretting over nothing.

As she turned to move away from the window, the door to the room opened, causing her to spin around and let out a low breath. She took a step forward as Harry and Ron re-entered the room.

"Hermione?" Harry called out, looking around the empty room. He took a step towards the book that lay on the floor, concern written on his face. "Hermione!" His voice echoed around the room, louder the second time.

"I'm here." Hermione frowned, then realised she was still invisible. A moment later she reappeared in front of the two young wizards.

Ron frowned, looking at her questioningly, but it was Harry who spoke. "Why were you hiding from us?"

Hermione shook her head. "I wasn't. I thought I heard something outside, so I made myself invisible so I could stand by the window without being seen." Her eyes flicked to each of their facing, noting the worried expressions. "There was nothing there. It must have been an animal or something."

Harry smiled and relaxed visibly. "Don't scare us like that again." He moved further into the room and sat down in the chair, as Hermione moved back over to the book she had been reading, once more sitting on the floor. "We have the location of the orphanage, well at least the direction of it from Diagon Alley. With a little work I think we can locate it."

"There's a picture in here of Dumbledore and Tom, and there is also a picture of the outside of the orphanage." Hermione pointed to two of the photographs. "There is the chance that the orphanage is no longer there. London looks so different from how it does in these pictures." She looked up at Harry. "We could be chasing rainbows here."

Harry nodded. "I know, but we have to try. The locket was hidden in the place he discovered his magic, the orphanage was the next time something good happened to him. He learnt who he was and what he could do. It was also the first time he was told about Hogwarts, it's got to mean something to him."

Hermione smiled. "Well, at least we have a clue. Do you think you can remember the directions?"

Just then the door opened again. "No need for remembering," Aberforth said as he appeared in the doorway. "I've written then down for you. Although, I think you are on a foolish mission. It is far too dangerous to be walking around the wizarding world with Lord Voldemort on the prowl." He paused. "But I doubt I could stop you going, even if I informed the Headmistress of your plans."

Harry smiled, his eyes holding a silent plea, as he took the offered paper from Aberforth. "I have to do this…"

Hermione coughed slightly, looking at Harry.

"We have to do this," he corrected himself, looking at Ron who was staring back at him, silently agreeing. "Professor Dumbledore started us on this quest, and it is our promise that we will finish what he began…together."

Hermione and Ron both smiled, all three students forgetting their troubles as they stood there before Aberforth. It was the first time in weeks that the three of them actually felt like were part of the same team again. Silently, each decided that what they were all feeling was second to finding and destroying the Horcruxes.

Aberforth smiled and nodded his head slowly in understanding. "I'm sure that Albus would be proud of each of you. And if he started you on this quest, then I believe that he had faith that you would be able to complete the task." He chuckled softly. "Albus certainly knew a person he could trust." He moved further into the room and looked at the tea that had grown cold on the tray, untouched by the three students. "Would you all like a drink before you go?"

Ron looked at Harry and Hermione then grinned. "Butterbeer would go down a treat."

Aberforth laughed. "Then three mugs of Butterbeer it is." He once more disappeared from the room, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione gazing after him.

"Do you think he'll tell McGonagall?" Ron asked, looking a little worried at the prospect.

Harry shook his head. "No, I think our secret is safe with him." He frowned, looking a little confused. "I don't know what it is about him, but I trust him."

"It's because he reminds you of Dumbledore," Hermione suggested, smiling up at Harry. "He looks like Dumbledore and he kind of feels like Dumbledore." She laughed. "And from what I've read in this book about the two brothers, I'm more than a little confused. I mean…"

She paused as the door reopened, revealing first a tray containing three frothing mugs and then Aberforth himself. "Here you are, three mugs of Butterbeer." He walked over to the table and looked at the tea things still laying on its surface. "Miss Granger, would you be so kind?"

Hermione pulled out her wand and watched as the crockery disappeared. Giving her a grateful smile, Aberforth lowered the tray onto the table, pointing to the mugs. "Help yourselves."

Ron was first to take his, gulping down a long sip, before lowering the mug and wiping his lips with his hand. "Mmm, feels like a lifetime ago since we last had one of these."

Harry grinned and reached over for a mug, drinking it slightly more sedately than Ron. "Tastes better than normal and was well worth the wait." He laughed, as he too lowered his mug.

"Once you've finished your drinks, you'd all better get back to school. It will be light in a few hours, and we don't want everyone having to search for you." Aberforth noted as he looked towards the window. He then looked back at Hermione with a smile. "You might want to take the book back with you, if you can manage it. It may contain other information that you might find helpful. I'm sure Albus won't mind, especially as you are working on his quest."

"Thank you," Hermione replied as she too picked up her mug and took a sip, savouring the flavour.

Aberforth chuckled and looked back at Harry. "I'm not sure what else I might be able to help you with, but should you need to look at any more of Albus' things, don't hesitate to drop by. My brother's friends are my friends." He smiled warmly. "Of course, that doesn't mean I want you all risking yourselves to come here. If possible drop a note or something and I'll find a way of getting to you."

"We'll do whatever we can," Harry confirmed before taking another long sip of Butterbeer, licking his lips as he lowered his mug. "I think we have a good starting point now. Thank you for all your help, Mr Dumbledore."

The old wizard laughed. "It's been a while since I was called that." He moved over to the window, gazing out for a moment, before pulling the curtains closed. "The moon is bright this night; you will have no trouble seeing on your way back. Cloud cover though is much better for sneaking around unseen."

"We have the Invisibility spell," remarked Hermione, a little taken aback by Aberforth's words. "We all got here unseen…"

"Not quite as unseen as you may have imagined." Aberforth grinned. "If you know where to look, it is not hard to see anything." He chuckled to himself. "The moon does have a disadvantage of letting things be seen that some are trying to hide. It's a matter of seeing what one cannot see."

Hermione blinked, looking a little confused, suddenly being reminded of Professor Stygian and her riddles. "We'll be careful to keep to the shadows." She lowered her mug and placed it back on the tray, before lifting the heavy book from the floor. "We should get back."

Harry nodded and placed his mug next to Hermione's. He reached over to grab his cloak, as Ron continued to quickly gulp down the rest of his drink, not stopping until he had emptied his mug. Once he too had placed the mug down on the tray, the three Hogwarts students were led to the door by Aberforth.

Pausing at the door, he smiled at the two young wizards and the young witch. "Watch how you go and stop for nothing or no one." Aberforth once more looked out into the night, as if he was searching for something. "Use the spell and carry the cloak. Be careful. I shall look out for you in the future."

Looking at Hermione, Harry let out a breath, recalling the story she had told them following one of the potion classes about the invisibility spell. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Hermione nodded. "Don't worry, we'll all be together."

Ron grinned. "We made it here, Harry. I'm sure the three of us will make it back." He winked at Hermione. "And anyway, Hermione has yet to let us down with a spell."

"I'm not worried about the casting, I'm more worried about being lost in the night and forever invisible." Harry explained, not looking at all happy.

"I can think of worse things being stuck as," Ron laughed. "No more school and being able to go anywhere you wanted." He cocked an eyebrow. "Tell me what's wrong with that?"

"Well, people will walk into you," Harry replied. "If anything happens to you, no one will ever find you."

"Lord You-Know-Who would never see you coming," Ron retorted.

"I'll not see me coming either," Harry shot back.

Aberforth coughed. "Now is not the time to get into a discussion about the pros and cons of invisibility. Miss Granger will get you safely turned visible once you get back into Hogwarts, of that I have no doubt." He paused and looked at the three students. "Just keep together, be careful and stop for nothing."

Harry nodded. "We'll be fine." He turned to Hermione. "Are you ready?"

Hermione smiled and raised her wand. A moment later, Harry, Ron and Hermione disappeared from view. Aberforth looked at where they were stood, smiling, before he heard their feet resound on the floor of his hallway. He waited until the footsteps sounded upon the gravel outside, and closed the door behind them.

"Okay, now we need to remain in the shadows," Hermione reminded them as they began to walk away from the door and made their way slowly along the street.

"I'll lead the way," Harry's voice drifted over to her, causing her to jump slightly.

When they used to walk under the cloak, they were able to see each other, but being totally invisible, there was no way to see what any of the others were doing. Hearing Harry's disembodied voice would take some getting used to.

"We'll go via the main street," Harry whispered. "It will be better to see if anyone is coming that way. We can stop walking so our footsteps aren't heard that way."

"I think remaining on the back street would be better," Ron replied, not wanting to draw any attention to them. "Hermione and I made it all the way to the Hog's Head without seeing anyone."

Hermione nodded, unseen by either of the two. "Ron is right, Harry. It's best to stay where no one will hear us. Going into the main street, it increases our chances of being heard."

"I don't think we have to worry about people walking around at this time of night," Harry commented, sounding a little annoyed.

"What about the people Hermione heard?" Ron sighed heavily, not sounding like he was in a mood to argue. "Let's just get back to Hogwarts as quickly as we can."

Hermione stood for a moment, just about to say something, when she heard a noise coming from further down the street. "Ssshh, there's something up ahead," she whispered quietly.

The three friends fell silent, barely making a sound with their breath. Feeling about in front of her, Hermione's hand fell upon the body of one of her companions. She tapped lightly, indicating that they should move a little forward to see what was lurking about. In her mind, she had already envisioned Professor Stygian standing up ahead, staring at them with her Death's Head smile. She could not understand why the woman's image seemed to be linked to any trouble she was expecting.

Slowly, they edged up the street, each of them somehow managing to walk without making a sound. They kept close to the buildings, despite being invisible, taking Aberforth's words to heart. They paused every time they heard a noise, careful not to draw attention to their presence.

Hermione let out a sigh, beginning to think that the sounds were made by the same creature that had drawn her to the window earlier in the night, when a shadow fell upon one of the walls further up the street, followed closely by a second. It was obvious from their position that they were not made by animals.

Confident that whatever had made the shadows in the moonlight were far enough not to hear her whisper, Hermione spoke softly. "What is it, Harry?"

"I'm not sure," Harry's voice came back at her, equally as quiet. "But it looks like…people."

"Why would they be sneaking around Hogsmead this late at night?" Ron asked.

"Probably the same as we are, Ron," Harry replied, sounding a little amused. "Trying to get somewhere without being seen."

"Who do you think it is?" Ron asked, but a hush from Harry stopped the three of them talking as the shadows appeared a little closer to them.

The three fell silent, watching with interest as the shadows made their way down the street, this time edging slowly towards them. The sound of footsteps was the only noise filling the air, other than the odd cry of an owl. Closer and closer the footsteps came, when there standing in the middle of the street, shrouded in black and yet still unmistakeable in the moonlight, stood Severus Snape.


	19. Chapter 19: In Moonlight and Shadows

**Chapter 19**

**In Moonlight and Shadows**

"Snape!"

Hermione cringed as she heard Harry's bodiless voice reach her ears, breaking the odd silence that had formed at the appearance of their old Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Not that Hermione was surprised by Harry's reaction, the man standing before them, shrouded in shadows had murdered Professor Dumbledore in front of Harry. Before she could reach out to find the invisible dark haired wizard to silence him, to stop him giving away their presence, the figure before them ceased in his motion, scanning his surroundings with searching eyes for origin of the noise.

Hermione's heart beat loud in her chest, ringing in her ears, sounding like a huge drum being bashed for all it was worth. Her breath caught on her lips, stilled as if making the tiniest noise would bring about Snape's attention. Around her, Harry and Ron were both silent, though Hermione knew that it would not be long before Harry attacked Snape. She had felt his hatred for the man growing over the summer, and she knew that one of his wishes was to avenge the death of Dumbledore. He had tried to stop Snape as he escaped from Hogwarts at the end of the last term.

A slight rustle of material made Hermione once more reach out her hand to still the motion of the boy near her, but before she even brushed against something solid, something else drew her attention.

"Snape!" Another familiar voice rang through the night air, catching Snape's attention.

The moonlight fell upon the head of the second shadow that crept through Hogsmeade, the hook of his cloak slightly back on his head, revealing his blonde hair.

"Shut up," Snape's voice sounded sharp to Hermione's ears, and she was instantly reminded of the many classes she had sat through with the dark haired professor, who had an obsessive loathing of everything Harry. "How many times have I told you not to be quiet?"

The younger man, not used to being reprimanded, scowled at Snape, only to have the older man turn away untouched by the expression. Muttering under his breath, he followed the now moving Snape down the street, heading in the direction that the trio had only moments before came from.

Once the two shrouded figures had moved far enough out of earshot, Harry's voice broke through the eerie silence sounding loud despite the lowness of it. "We've got to find out what they are up to. They could give us some clue to Voldemort's plans."

A long drawn out breath, revealed that Ron had been holding his as much as Hermione had. "Mate, I was so sure you were going to hit him with a spell or six." The red haired wizard sounded more than a little relieved.

Harry remained silent for a moment before he answered. "I wanted to, even more so when I saw Malfoy." His voice sounded bitterer than Hermione could remember. "But now is not the time for getting revenge, not until we know what Voldemort is doing. Why has he sent those two to Hogsmeade? Is he planning on attacking Hogwarts again?" The sound of gravel indicated that Harry had taken a step. "Let's go and find out."

"Wait," Hermione finally spoke, sounding more than a little unsure even to her. "You remember what Dumbledore said? Do not stop for anyone."

Harry let out a long breath. "But he didn't know those two pieces of scum would be walking around, did he?"

"Harry, we really should get back to Hogwarts and raise the alarm. You know that both Snape and Malfoy are wanted by the Ministry. This could be the information they need to break You-Know-Who's hold on the Wizarding community." Hermione frowned, unseen by either of her companions.

"You go back to Hogwarts and tell them." Harry snorted, sounded annoyed. "By the time you've got through explaining what you were doing in Hogsmeade and finally getting them to listen, Snape," he practically spat the word, "and Malfoy will be long gone."

"Harry, this is stupid…" Hermione began to argue, but the sound of footsteps on gravel cut her off as she realised that Harry had begun to walk away. "Harry!" Her voice, though in a whisper, revealed her own annoyance.

Huffing loudly, Hermione turned to look in the direction that Harry was going in, seeing nothing but an empty street. As she was about to take a step forward, Ron's voice reached her ears, his voice taking on a new level of concern.

"Hermione…"

"What is it, Ron?"

"I think we have even more trouble."

Looking down the apparently empty street, seeing nothing but still hearing faint footsteps, she turned and gazed down the other half of the street, suddenly seeing what had caused the reaction in Ron. There further up the street, silhouetted on one of the buildings on the opposite side of the street were two more dark shapes. As she continued to watch, a third figure appeared out of thin air.

"Death Eaters." Hermione felt her heart sink. "We've got to stop Harry. Come on, Ron."

Turning once more, she looked back down the deserted street, listening for the sound of footsteps, but it had once more grown very quiet. Keeping to the shadows Hermione and Ron made their way down the street, unable to see Harry but listening for the sound of his feet. They had only managed to creep along three houses, when they suddenly hit an invisible obstacle.

"Harry? Is that you?" Hermione whispered urgently.

"Sshhh," came the bodiless reply.

"We've got big problems," Hermione whispered again, trying to warn Harry.

Turning, Hermione looked back down the street, her eyes once more finding the shadows upon the house. Her eyes opened in horror as she saw that there were no longer three shapes on the wall. The number had doubled.

"Harry, there are Death Eaters here." Hermione turned, her hand finding Harry's body after a little searching. "There are six and it appears that there might be even more on the way." Her whisper sounded frantic. "They already outnumber us."

"They can't see us, they don't know we are here," Harry replied, sounding very matter of fact. "We need to know what Snape is doing here." He paused for a moment. "He seems to be stopping…he's going…" He took in a sharp intake of breathe. "He's gone into the Hog's Head. He's after Dumbledore's brother."

Ron's voice joined the conversation. "Harry, Hermione's right, we've got to warn everyone."

There was no reply other than the sound of soft footsteps moving away. Hermione let out a long sigh. "Ron, get back to Hogwarts as quickly as you can. Find Professor McGonagall and tell her what has happened."

"What are you going to do?" Ron asked, his voice sound breathless.

"I'm going to stop Harry," Hermione answered. "We've got no time, Ron. You have to hurry."

"I'll be as quick as I can," Ron said, before Hermione heard his footsteps.

Hermione's whisper called out behind him. "And stay in the shadows, like Aberforth said." Unsure whether she had been heard or not, Hermione edged her way in the direction that Harry had taken only moments before.

The moonlight seemed oddly bright, almost as if the sky was shining a spotlight down upon the scene below. The sky was cloudless, which caused the night breeze to have fingers like death, cold and uncaring. As Hermione edged closer to the Hog's Head, her eyes and ears seemed to work harder, straining her see and hear anything that would reveal the location of Snape and Malfoy, but more importantly Harry.

Up ahead, she could see a dark shape, the light reflecting off the odd strands of blonde hair that his cloak did not hide. He was alone, pacing back and forth outside the door to the Hog's Head, keeping guard. The dark figure of Snape was nowhere to be seen. She moved a little closer, a rustle up ahead revealed the general whereabouts of Harry. Almost reaching him, she was surprised to suddenly make out his shape as he stepped out of the shadows, his form visible to her eyes.

Her heart jumped into her mouth, as she took a step forward, grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back into the shadows.

"Wha…?" Harry sounded alarmed, before he was cut off by Hermione's hand across his mouth.

"Ssshh," Hermione whispered in his ear.

Fortunately for them both, Draco Malfoy had been looking in the opposite direction, his gaze travelling down the street. At the sound made by Harry, he swung around expectantly, his wand in hand and ready for striking, as he looked up the street.

"Who's there?" Draco's voice sounded a little edgy. "Show yourself!"

Hermione and Harry stood silently, watching the fair-haired wizard, as he waved his wand menacingly around in front of him. Hermione could not help judging the randomness of his movements, knowing that his fear would either make him a formidable opponent or an easy target. But with Snape not that far away and with Aberforth his prisoner, it was not the time cause a scene, especially without help.

_I hope Ron is alright_, Hermione thought, as she pictured the red haired wizard working his way back to Hogwarts. _I hope he doesn't get caught before he can get help._

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash coming from the direction of the Hog's Head. The street flashed a series of red and yellow as spells shot out of the window and door.

"You will get nothing from me!" The sound of Aberforth's voice rang out into the night, followed by another flash, this time a brilliant blue.

Draco spun around, his eyes focused on the doorway, ducking to avoid any stray shots that continued to light up the street like a firework display. He rushed forward, frantically looking for signs of Snape.

Hermione hears a rustle before her, knowing that Harry has his wand out ready to intervene. Her own fingers grasped her wand, as she shuffled the book she was carrying, under her arm better, not wanting to drop it if possible. Both waited, ready to enter the fray. Before either of them could reacted, flying out of the door like a bat out of Hell, came the dark shape of Snape, followed closely by a burst of bright yellow, which just managed to skim over his back as he ducked.

Running, Snape made a grab for Malfoy, tugging at the young wizard's cloak, his actions causing the hood to fall off, revealing a brilliant head of blonde hair to Harry and Hermione.

Taken aback by the sudden appearance of Snape, Draco took a moment to realise what was going on before he made a dash after the quickly retreating Snape, who was already quite some way up the street. The dark shadows of the other Death Eaters, that had not grown more than the six that Hermione had seen earlier, began to run down the street in the direction of Snape.

"Our cover is blown," Snape yelled at his companions. "Get out of here!"

The six Death Eaters, followed closely by the ex-Dark Arts professor, raced up the street. A little way behind, the young Malfoy ran, trying to catch up with the others. Suddenly a burst of red shot up the street, enveloping him, before he stopped and crashed to the floor. Those up ahead did not even notice the events happening behind them, and failed to react to their companion's predicament. Further up the street, the shadows upon the wall began to disappear, one at a time.

Snape turned back, coming a little way back down the street. "Malfoy!" He shouted, finally spotting the prone young man. He had only taken a copy of steps before the same green flash that had taken down Draco shot up the street before him, but just as it was about to touch his body, he vanished.

"Mr Potter?" A voice rang out. "Miss Granger?"

Remaining still, the two young Hogwarts' students watched as Aberforth took a step out of the doorway of the Hog's Head, walking over to the fallen figure of Draco Malfoy, the boy's head half hidden by the hood of his cloak. He crouched down and checked Draco for signs of life.

"Make us visible, Hermione," Harry commanded as he took a step towards Aberforth.

Suddenly, the young wizard and witch appeared, standing a few feet away from the aging wizard. Hermione was not surprised to find Harry had his wand pointed menacingly at the still form of Draco, as if he expected him to spring into battle. Hermione lowered her wand and quickly covered the distance to the middle of the street.

"A nice bit of wand work, Mr Potter," Aberforth commented as he rose to his full height.

"Not that good, I missed Snape," Harry spat out the professor's name.

Aberforth nodded sagely. "You managed to hit one, which is a good percentage."

"What did Snape want with you, Mr Dumbledore?" Hermione asked, her brow etched with questioning lines.

"He seemed interested in searching through Albus' belongings, or that's what he was doing when I came upon him." Aberforth chuckled suddenly. "He was very surprised to see me appear behind him."

The sound of heavy breathing and rushing footsteps stopped the conversation suddenly, as the three looked down the street. Harry and Hermione raised ready for action, expecting to see the return of the Death Eaters and Snape, but Aberforth stood calmly beside them.

"Ah, Mr Weasley, it's good of you to join us." Aberforth chuckled again, as the young wizard and witch beside him looked down the street in wonder.

"Ron?" Harry and Hermione asked together.

"Wow, I missed all the fun." The bodiless form of the youngest male Weasley reached their ears. As he spoke, Hermione raised her wand and said the spell to make Ron once more visible. "I heard the ruckus and thought I should come back to help, being as you were outnumbered and all."

Hermione frowned, her eyes looking at him questioningly. "Why did you come back? I thought I told you to get to Hogwarts."

"This is a topic better discussed elsewhere," Aberforth interrupted. "We should get off the street, and get our young captive off the street before it fills with people that we would rather not answer to." He pointed to Draco. "Can you two get him inside?"

Without word, Harry and Ron moved over to Draco and each taking an arm, pulled him up from the floor. Looping his arms around their shoulders, they carried the burden of their fallen foe, dragging him inside the Hog's Head, as Aberforth looked around expectantly.

"As quick as you can," he commanded, indicating for Hermione to follow before he too entered the building, closing the door behind him.

>>>>

Firelight flickered against the walls, casting an orange glow around the room, offering the only light in the room. The soft crackle of the burning wood was the only sound, as four pairs of eyes stared silently at the still form of Draco Malfoy, who was now lying on the couch in the living room of the Hog's Head. The gently rise and fall of his chest was the only indication that he was still alive, as the spell that Harry had used upon him had knocked him out cold.

Finally the silence was broken, as Ron looked away from Draco and turned to Harry. "So what are we going to do with him?" The harshness in his voice revealed that he had several things in mind, and none of them were pleasant.

Harry shook his head. "We can't leave him here, that's for sure. They are bound to come back for him and in greater number. We need to get him to Hogwarts."

"Are you kidding?" Hermione asked incredulously. "If we take him there, we'll have a full scale attack before we know it. I don't think the school could take another attack on it, not with all the worried parents and everything." She shook her head. "We need to hand him over to the Ministry."

"We need to know what they are up to; it could be the difference between success and failure. If we hand him over to Scrimgeour, he'll disappear into the realms of that labyrinth of bureaucracy and we'll never learn anything." Harry frowned. "We need him, and I know that Professor McGonagall with be able to get information out of him."

Aberforth frown, his face seeming to age considerably. "Will that not reveal your whereabouts tonight?"

"It can't be helped, finding out what Voldemort is up to is far more important that a detention for sneaking out of the school," Harry replied.

"More important than finding the Horcruxes?" Aberforth asked matter of factly.

Harry shook his head. "Nothing is more important than them, but this could help with that. This could be connected to our search, this could have been Voldemort trying to discover what we know about them, and this could help us."

"It could also hamper you search, Mr Potter," Aberforth announced, causing the three students to stare at him questioningly. "If Professor McGonagall believes that an attack on the school is imminent, do you think it will be so easy for you to sneak out to continue your search?"

The room once more fell silent, as the trio pondered Aberforth's words. It had always been a task and a half to get out of the building unseen, but with the school on high alert, it would be nearly impossible for them to go on with their quest. Hermione and Ron turned to look at Harry, waiting for his answer.

"He's coming back to Hogwarts," Harry finally announced. "Even if we don't inform Mc…Professor McGonagall, we can still find a safe place to keep Draco. I don't trust the Ministry, not with something as important as this."

Aberforth let out a loud chuckle. "Mistrust in the Ministry already, Harry? I'm not saying you are making a wise decision, but I am beginning to think you are making the right one, after all." He paused and looked at the still sleeping form of Draco. "Do you think you can get him into the school unseen?"

Harry nodded. "With the Invisibility spell no one will see us, and if we lose Malfoy on the way, his spending the rest of his life lying unable to move and unable to be seen does not seem to unfitting for the scum."

Hermione looked at Aberforth, not at all surprised to see the expression on his face. "We'll get him safely to Hogwarts…without losing him." She glared at Harry before continuing. "And there are plenty of rooms around Hogwarts that people do not use; we'll find a safe one for him to stay in where he won't be found."

Smiling, Aberforth nodded his head. "I've no doubt you will do your best." He moved quickly over to the form of Draco, giving him another look over. "He should sleep for another hour, so you will need to hurry. And this time," he looked at the three young people before him. "Stop for nothing or nobody, do you hear me?"

The trio nodded their heads but said nothing, which appeared to satisfy Aberforth, as he went about preparing for Harry, Ron and Hermione's return to Hogwarts with their prize.

>>>>

Walking back to Hogwarts was not as easy as the three had imagined it would be, despite being invisible. Dragging along the unconscious Draco turned out to be harder than they thought it would be, and on several occasions Ron suggested dumping him on the way and leaving him to rot, but Hermione protested that it would be inhumane, even if it was Malfoy. Eventually, Ron and Harry decided that carrying Draco in a chair of their arms would be quicker and less noisy than having his feet dragging along the floor.

Hermione walked a little ahead, listening and looking for signs of people wandering around and especially for returning Death Eaters. Sticking to the shadows as they had been told again to do by Aberforth, the three students and their companion finally made it to the secret passage they used to get in and out of Hogwarts.

Hermione, whose walk had not been all that easy, having carried a huge book and her wand out ready for any attacks, stopped suddenly. Fortunately Ron and Harry noticed the sound of her footsteps falling silent, and they followed her example and stopped too.

"What's the matter?" Harry whispered, suddenly concerned that they were no near and yet so far from their goal.

Hermione turned and faced her invisible companions. "I'm not sure this is a good idea."

"What?" Harry asked, sounding confused.

"Taking Draco through the secret door to Hogwarts," Hermione explained. "How do we know this is not some plot to get him inside? Voldemort or Snape could have arranged for this so that they had someone on the inside."

"Now who's turning all paranoid on us?" Ron quipped.

Hermione sighed loudly. "All I'm saying is, we don't know if Snape let Malfoy get captured so that he could find the way into the school." She paused. "We all know that Snape suspected Sirius and your father of having a way around the school, and he thought we knew about it…"

"How did he know we would be in Hogsmeade today?" Harry asked, sounding a little tired. "And anyway, once we have Malfoy locked up, he won't be able to get word to anyone."

Hermione shrugged to herself. "Okay, but let's check he's still asleep first."

Before she could take a step forward to check for signs, the sound of something hitting the ground with a heavy thud filled her ears. It did not take a genius to know that Harry and Ron and dropped Malfoy.

"What are you doing?" Hermione hissed.

"Like you said, we needed to check he was still asleep," Harry informed her, sounding a little amused.

Ron chuckled. "He didn't make a sound; I'd say he was still out cold."

"I can't believe you did that." Hermione shook her head, and looked back towards the secret entrance. "Pick him up; we need to get back inside before the light comes up. It must be nearly dawn."

A rustle of material and the sound of rapidly exhaled breath indicated that Draco was once more safely in the arms of Harry and Ron, although Hermione could not help wonder what the two of them would do if they were given the opportunity, not that she could blame them after all that Malfoy had done to the three of them over the years.

Finally they reached the entrance, which Hermione opened with the relevant spell. The open entrance appeared to be grinning at them, as they walked through. The musty smell of the old passage filled their nostrils, getting more potent as Hermione intoned the closing spell, locking the three students and their prisoner inside the safety of Hogwarts protection. The audible exhalation of breath revealed all of them to be more comfortable once there were away from prying eyes.

The rest of the journey took little time at all, especially as they did not feel the need to keep checking around for people who were following them. The passageway was rarely used, and they felt sure that the only people who still resided at Hogwarts and knew about the secret tunnels was them.

Their footsteps resounded around them, as they walked along the passageway, eventually reaching the exit that would bring them into the main school building, in a quiet section, unused most of the time and totally deserted during the night.

Careful not to knock any of the statues and armour that lined the walls of the corridor, Hermione squeezed through the opening, looking around carefully to ensure that no one was about. Once she was sure the coast was clear, she turned back to the doorway.

"You can come out," Hermione whispered, careful to keep her voice low enough that it wouldn't echo around the deserted corridor.

With a few huffs and puffs, Hermione heard their feet hit the paving stones that stretched across the floor, then with another quick look around, she headed off towards the lower levels of the school, which despite being the home of the Slytherin common room and other various rooms, led deep under the school and had become the home of old and no longer pieces of classroom furniture and other long forgotten items. It had been decided before the trio had left Aberforth that there was not a better place to hide the currently unconscious Draco.

What seemed like an eternity to the three students, but was little more than twenty minutes, they came to a group of doors, all of which looked like they had been closed for a very long time. The cobwebs and dust that lay on the locks made Hermione wonder if they had been opened in the last century.

"This place is as good as any," Harry announced, as they stopped outside one of the doors. "Hermione, can you make us all visible again?" Within a few seconds the four once more became visible to each other. "Okay, let's get one of these doors open."

Harry and Ron lowered the still slumbering Draco to the floor, and moved quickly over to the doors, each taking a separate one to check. The first few that they checked heralded nothing by failure, but the third one that Ron tried came open, far easier than he thought it would, sending him sprawling onto the ground.

"Looks like it's this one," Harry walked over and helped Ron off the ground, then took a step inside, his two companions looking in from the doorway. He raised his wand, instantly illuminating it to shed some light in the room before him.

Looking like nothing more than storage rooms, the space inside was big enough for a man to lie across ways without hitting either of the walls with his feet or head. The length of the room was about a width and half long. Inside the musty smell of long closed up rooms penetrated their noses. The steady drip of water that ran down the walls and then hit the floor filled the quiet air.

The room had several filled sacks inside, resembling a disused mill. The floor, despite the couple of puddles that had formed around the edges was relatively dry, a thin scattering of straw or some such substance lay across its surface.

From behind her, Hermione heard a faint rustling, sounding like the skittering sound of a rat. Turning to look, Hermione was surprised to see that Draco was no longer lying prone on the floor.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, drawing the attention of her two companions, who whirled around to see what was causing the anxiety in Hermione's voice. "Malfoy's gone."

* * *

A/N: That brings us up to the most current chapter. All future chapters will be posted once a week, at the weekend, unless for some reason I'm unable to write one due to RL issues and stuff. I hope you have enjoyed the story so far, and I hope you continue to enjoy the rest of the story still to come. Let me know what you think. 


	20. Chapter 20: Chasing Shadows

**Chapter 20**

**Chasing Rainbows**

"What?" Harry's voice rang out, echoing off the dank walls that surrounded the trio. He stepped away from the door, reaching Hermione's side in a few steps. "How?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know. He was there a moment ago and now he's…gone." Her eyes meet Harry's searchingly. "He's vanished. I don't know how, but he just disappeared…like magic."

Harry walked over to where Draco had only moments ago been lying, dead to the world. He kicked his foot over the spot as if he expected to come into contact with something. A frown creased his brow, as he looked back at Hermione. "We've got to find him." He kicked the floor again in frustration. "I can't believe we were so stupid. Why weren't we watching him?"

Ron, who had remained by the door, walked over to Harry. "C'mon, mate. He can't have gotten far."

Letting out a long sigh, Harry shook his head. "He's loose in Hogwarts and it's our fault he's here. If this is some ploy of Voldemort's, we've just played right into his hands. How could we have been so stupid?" He walked over to the door and rested his hand on the door frame. "Okay, we're in the middle of Slytherin territory, and their common room is only a short distance away. Hopefully the password has been changed."

"We should split up," Hermione stated, breaking into Harry's chain of thought. "We'll be able to cover much more ground that way."

Ron shook his head. "It will also mean that we have to go one on one with Malfoy if we find him."

"When," Hermione corrected.

"Now isn't the time to nitpick, Hermione," Ron retorted, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

Harry turned and looked at Ron and Hermione, his eyes blazing with his growing anger. "We haven't got long, we need to find him and get him secured before dawn, and that's only a couple of hours away. If the school begins to wake up before we find him, we are in serious trouble." He looked at Ron. "You start upstairs, check anywhere you think he could be hiding."

Ron's face suddenly lit up. "Wait! What about the Map?"

"The map?" Harry replied, looking confused, before the expression on his face matched Ron's. "The map." He searched his pockets frantically, first one then another, then another, each one coming up empty. "Where is it?" He retraced his search, again showing no signs of the Marauders Map in any of his pockets.

"Harry, where did you last use it?" Hermione asked, her voice growing as agitated as the others.

Harry stopped his movement, his face showing his concentration, even in the low light. "I didn't bring it."

"What?" Ron exclaimed.

"I didn't bring it." Harry placed his hand on his head and muttered under his breath, words that sounded to Hermione like swearing. "I was so wrapped up in getting to the Hog's head that I grabbed my cloak and ran. It must have got caught up in the papers as I stuffed them back into the trunk."

The three fell silent, their minds working to think of the best course of action. The sound of dripping water rang out in the darkness, its source lost. The skittering of feet on flagstones, added to the early morning symphony that was rarely heard by anyone other than the rats that called the dungeons their home. How long the three stood quietly in thought was hard to tell, but almost as one the three came to life as they realised the importance of finding their missing foe.

Harry broke the silence. "Hermione, use the spell, we've got to get the map. It's the easiest way to find Malfoy."

"What if he knows where the secret entrance is? He might not have been asleep when we took him through it." Ron stated, his mind on other concerns.

Harry nodded his head slowly, his thoughts coming together. Hermione had seen the look on his face before, many times as they had come to face difficult tasks. Harry the leader, the hero, the Chosen One, was coming to the forefront. She smiled, knowing that it was a sign that everything would be alright.

"Ron, you check the entrance, stay there and make sure he doesn't leave," Harry commanded, his voice strong and in charge. "Hermione and I will get the map, locate Malfoy and then get you. Just do not leave the entrance." Harry's voice sounded grave. "I just hope we aren't too late. If he lets the others in, we'll have a major fight on our hands and…"

"We know, Harry," Hermione said, her voice sounding as dejected at the thought as Harry's did. "Let's go. Good luck, Ron."

In less than a minute, the three students were once more invisible, the echo of Hermione's voice resounding off the walls, as the room feel once more into silence, broken only by the sound of three sets of footsteps as they raced out of the basement, heading into the more familiar parts of the school.

>>>> 

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Hermione asked as she and Harry finally reached their shared quarters. She had barely let the door close behind them before she recited the spell that brought them both back into each other's view. The sound of Harry's footsteps indicated his location further inside their common room, heading towards his bedroom door.

Harry pushed open his door as he answered. "Yeah, he'll be fine, I trust Ron…" His voice stopped suddenly.

"Harry?" Hermione looked at the still form of Harry, framed in his doorway.

Hermione's heart beat loudly in her chest, fear clouding her mind as she envisioned Draco Malfoy standing before Harry, wand held up before him. Breaking into a run, she covered the distance between the door and Harry, her wand instantly in hand. The lack of movement from the dark haired wizard confused her, as she carefully peered around her companion to see what had stilled his motion.

"Ginny?" Hermione exclaimed, seeing the red haired witch sitting on Harry's bed.

The youngest Weasley looked at the door towards Harry, she did not appear to have seen Hermione at all. The fuzzy haired witch, placed her hand on Harry's shoulder, as the two stared at the young woman sitting with one of the blanket's wrapped around her barely covered body.

"Hello, Harry," Ginny smiled, looking not at all embarrassed at being caught where she should not have been. "I hope you didn't mind, but I needed to talk to you."

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, oblivious to the fact that he had already been given an explanation.

Standing up from the bed, the blanket acting like a cloak, Ginny took as step towards Harry, her eyes fixed to his. "Now that you and Hermione are no longer…interested in each other, I thought I would fill the vacant position."

Hermione let out a gasp, almost choking on the younger witch's words. She felt Harry's hand move to where hers lay on his shoulder, and gently take it in his hand. His own gaze never left Ginny's face, watching her as if she was a cobra ready to strike.

"Get out of here, Ginny!" Harry's voice was commanding.

"Harry, please, you can't do this to me again. I know you love me." Ginny took another couple of steps closer, stopping as Harry raised his free hand.

Hermione looked over her shoulder at the door, knowing that they did not have the time to have this discussion. Draco was out there somewhere, and they could not lose precious time arguing over Harry's relationships. Fate had a poor sense of humour bringing this topic up at that moment.

"Ginny, go back to bed!" Hermione turned back, her eyes filled with fear at the situation they had surrounding them. "This can be discussed in the morning."

"No!" Ginny's voice rang out. "I'm tired of you telling me what to do, Hermione. You've always been jealous of me, because Harry loves me not you. You wanted him and he never chose you. First Cho, and now me. Never you, Hermione. He never wanted you."

What happened next caught Hermione totally by surprise. One moment she was standing behind Harry, her hand still resting lightly in his grip, the next, his arms were wrapped around her, having been pulled in this embrace and his lips were pressed to hers in a kiss. Her arms hung loosely at her sides, her brain lost for a moment, before her hands raised slightly, finding his body and holding him.

She felt something push against her, the sound of footsteps thumping against the floor, and then the opening and slamming of the main door. Her lips felt Harry's pull away from hers and his arms loosen on her body. She looked up into Harry's face, but did not meet his eyes, as his gaze was focused on the door that Ginny had just left through. She felt him take a step away from her and walk into the room.

"Right, let's get the map," Harry stated as he dashed over to the trunk.

Hermione stood at the door, her hand resting on the frame. "Harry?"

Stopping his searching for a moment, he looked at Hermione and grinned. "Easiest way to get rid of her. I hope you didn't mind. We really didn't have the time to argue the point with her." He turned back to the trunk and once more began grabbing parchment.

"No…I…um," Hermione stuttered, feeling oddly disappointed at being used in such a fashion, but understanding exactly why he did it. Her stomach flipped several times as she took a few deep breaths, fighting off a wave of tears that threaten to overcome her. "Have you found it?"

Harry stood up, his fingers wrapped around a folded piece of apparently blank parchment, that appeared to be much older than all the other pieces. "Okay, let's find Malfoy."

He pulled open the map and said the words that brought the parchment to life. No longer blank, it revealed the layout of the school and here and there little dots moved with names floating magically nearby. His eyes flicked over the various dots, not surprised to see Filch's or Stygian's names on it. He looked over to where the secret entrance that they had used earlier that night, surprised not to see Ron's name displayed near it.

"Where's Ron?" Harry exclaimed, his eyes suddenly searching the map frantically.

"What do you mean?" Hermione rushed over to where Harry was standing, her eyes instantly joining in with the search. "He should be right…" Her finger touched the part of the map detailing the location where Ron was supposed to be standing. "He's not there."

Harry looked up at Hermione. "He's nowhere on the map."

"He has to be," Hermione replied, as she took the map from Harry, giving it a quick scan. "You're right." She turned her head, finding Harry's face. "Where is he? You don't think…?"

Harry shook his head, those his eyes said otherwise.

"We've got to find him," Hermione stated, thrusting the map back at Harry.

"No, we've got to find Malfoy first."

"Harry, Ron could be dead or hurt," Hermione moved towards the door.

Harry walked towards her, stopping just in front of her, his hands reaching out and grabbing her arm. "Hermione, I don't like the thought of leaving him any more than you do, but we have got to find Malfoy. If he came here to let the others in, we've got to stop him before he can. If that means leaving Ron to fend for himself for a little while we have to go after Malfoy."

Hermione looked disappointed, but she nodded her head. "I know. Okay, the quicker we find Malfoy the quicker we can help Ron." She reached over and took the map from Harry, pulling it open as he released his hold on her arm. "Right, where is he?"

The two students stared down at the map, their eyes moving rapidly over the contents searching for a sign of the missing former student. They flicked over each of the moving spots, dismissing each one equally as quickly before moving onto the next and then the next and so on, until each of the dots failed to reveal Malfoy's location.

"Do you think he's left already?" Harry asked, raising his gaze to Hermione's face, his expression one of confusion.

Hermione shook her head. "It doesn't make any sense. If he had reached the door, he would have been letting a whole host of trouble back in. He has to be here somewhere." Her gaze once more scanned the map. "Unless the plan wasn't to get the Death Eaters in."

"Then what could it have been?" Harry asked, his face etched into to questioning frown.

"Maybe it was to get us out," Hermione said, her finger pointing to where Ron's name should have been. "Voldemort knows that you will help your friends if they are in trouble. Perhaps they took Ron to lure you to them."

Harry shook his head. "If they had wanted to lure me out they would have taken you," he looked at her. "Your family doesn't have the connections that the Weasleys have, in the Wizarding World." He corrected as he stopped the look on Hermione's face.

For the second time that evening, Hermione felt her heart sink, unable to explain why Harry's words and actions were causing her so much difficulty. "We have to get to the entrance, see if we can find out what happened. Maybe we'll find some clue as to what is going on." She turned to look at Harry, who was staring oddly at the map. "Harry? What is it?"

"Look at this." Harry pointed his finger to one of the dots on the map, which was wobbling all over the place, making its way along the corridors of Hogwarts. "Why would Ginny not have gone straight back to Gryffindor? She was hardly dressed for a stroll."

Hermione's eyes found the spot Harry was indicating, the name Ginny Weasley floating on the page nearby. "Do you think it's Malfoy?"

Harry shook his head. "No, if it was Malfoy, it would reveal his name. Somehow the map's magic can see through the polyjuice potion's effects." He frowned, taking a closer look at the dot as it moved along the parchment. "She seems to be walking funny."

"What do you mean?" Hermione followed the dot as it appeared to stop and zigzag along the drawn corridor. She raised her head and look at Harry. "You did upset her when you…" She paused, not wanting to repeat what had happened.

"Yeah," Harry grimaced. "I'm sorry about that."

Hermione shook her head. "I understand why you did it."

"That still doesn't explain…" Harry stopped, looking at Hermione, his eyes wide open. "Look where she's heading!"

Hermione once more read the map, her eyes following the path that Harry's finger was making along the parchment. As it reached the final destination, she met his gaze, her own appearing confused and questioning.

"Come on, we've no time to delay!" Harry folded up the map as he rushed over to the main door. Hermione only just managed to intone the spell, allowing an invisible Harry to ghostly disappear out of the door, followed shortly afterwards by an invisible Hermione.

>>>> 

The passageways in the early hours of the morning were fortunately devoid of life, even the ever present Filch was nowhere to be seen. The darkness that held onto the corridors were slowly letting go of their grip as morning began to press itself onto the day, banishing night into the shadows. Yet, despite the sun's best efforts, it was still dark enough not to be seen even if someone was not invisible.

Harry and Hermione raced down the stairs, heading down corridors that they had used only moments before. The sound of bodiless footsteps left an eerie feel around them, but both were too busy to notice anything other than where they were going and how quickly they had to get there. Something was wrong with Ginny, and despite Harry's words, they both knew that it was not safe for the young girl to be wandering around with Malfoy on the prowl, even if their search had come up blank.

"Harry, wait!" Hermione called, hearing the footsteps of her companion up ahead, sounding as if they were getting further and further away from her.

They stopped suddenly, and Harry's voice floated over to her. "Come on, Hermione. We've got to get to the door before Ginny does."

"Ginny doesn't know where the door is, why would she be going there?" Hermione ran the little way that brought her closer to where she assumed Harry was standing. "She probably just wants to be on her own."

Harry let out a little chuckle. "You don't see it do you, Hermione?" She felt something tug on her arm. "Come on."

"See what, Harry?" Hermione said, as she once more heard Harry's feet resound on the corridor floor filling the air once more with the eerie sound of invisible movement.

Shaking her head, Hermione once more ran down the seemingly empty corridor, trying to keep up with the much faster Harry. As she did she could not get her mind from the thought that he was running after Ginny to apologise for his earlier behaviour. Hermione could still feel the touch of his lips against hers, which caused her once more to get a feeling of disappointment sweep over her. She did not have time to dwell on what had happened, there was far too much at stake.

She raced down the corridor, surprised how quickly Harry had forgotten not only about Malfoy but about Ron too. She was not stupid enough to not have seen the way their friendships had began to crack under the strain of various things, but could Harry really have no concern about the wellbeing of his once best friend. Had she and Ron entered the realms of nothing more than pawns in Harry's end game?

Her mind was whirling when she finally turned the corner and came into contact with something in the middle of the path, almost sending her to the ground. The quick reflexes of her obstacle kept her on her feet.

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked, but no answer was necessary as she looking further down the corridor, seeing Ginny standing there. "Ginny?"

The corridor took on a deathly silence, broken only by the sound of breathing and the rapidly pounding sound of racing heartbeats. Hermione stared down at the young student, who had a look for fear in her eyes.

"Who's there?" Ginny's quavering voice echoed around the corridor. "Harry?"

The young witch's eyes darted back and forth as she looked back to where Harry and Hermione stood, both invisible to the red haired girl. She breathed heavily, agitated about something, of course, Hermione knew exactly what had caused this reaction in her. Despite what had happened between them, Hermione did not like to see her in pain, and what Harry had done must have been like a knife in the chest. Hermione could imagine herself in the same position, not that she had not been affected by the wizard's actions.

"There's no one there," Ginny stated, her eyes giving up there search.

"Let's go!" The familiar voice of Draco floated down the corridor, catching Hermione by surprise.

Hermione frowned heavily, confused. "Malfoy?" She whispered to Harry, who was standing just in front of her. "How?"

"I don't know, he isn't showing up on the map and neither is Ron." She could hear him shuffle as he pulled the parchment out of his clothing. "Not that I can read it, but I think the map cannot see what is not there. It might be why we couldn't see Ron."

Hermione felt herself growing more and more confused. "How is Malfoy invisible? And how did he get Ginny? She was with us."

A further rustle indicated that Harry was returning the map to his pocket. "I think he never left the basement, and then he followed us out." His voice sounded determined. "But we have to stop him getting to the exit. If he leaves, we'll have bigger problems."

Before Hermione could answer, Harry began running down the corridor his footsteps quieter than they had been previously. Hermione, still a little dazed by the sudden turn of events, followed after him, knowing more than anything that they had to stop the ex-student before he disappeared out of the walls of Hogwarts. Picking up her pace, but remaining as quiet as she could, she raced after Harry, hoping that Ron was ready for the arrival of the enemy that he could not see.

>>>> 

"Let her go, Malfoy!"

Ron's voice echoed around the corridor as Hermione turned the final corner, leading to the secret exit. Hermione could see nothing up ahead other than the youngest Weasley, who was standing at a rather awkward angle for someone on their own. It was easy for Hermione to see that Malfoy had the young witch held close to him to stop Ron from getting off a shot.

Draco's laugh filled the corridor. "Do you think I'm afraid of you, Weasel? You never were anything without the great Harry Potter to change your nappy." His voice contained its usual snide tone of one born better than those around him. "Drop your wand and I'll let the little carrot go."

"I'm not letting you leave, Malfoy," Ron spat.

Ginny let out a cry. "Don't make me hurt her, Weasel. I'm sure mummy would not be happy if you had to explain what happened to Weaselette."

"Ron, help me!" Ginny screamed, the sound echoing off the walls in a morbid chorus.

"I won't tell you again, Malfoy! Let her go, or I'll kill you," Ron's voice was growing shaky in his anger.

The cruel laughter once more filled the air, followed by another high pitched well from the young red head. "I'm warning you, Weasel. I've seen the killing curse used, and I'm not afraid to use it on her." Ginny wriggled frantically, trying to free herself from an invisible hold.

"Go ahead, Malfoy!" Harry's voice rang out, causing Ginny to be yanked violently as the fair haired wizard spun around to meet his new foe.

"Potter!" Draco snarled, before breaking into another nasty laugh. "Come to help me kill your girlfriend? She's very pretty isn't she, Potter? I wonder if she'll look as good dead."

Hermione could hear Harry's breathing growing louder with frustration and hatred. Draco had been there when Dumbledore had been killed, it had been his duty to finish him off, but he had chickened out and it had been left to Snape to do the dastardly deed. And yet there he was, surrounded by his enemies, even if he could not see them or they see him, threatening to do exactly what he could not do before.

"What are we going to do?" Hermione whispered, knowing that Harry was somewhere close. "We can't see him."

The rustle of Harry's cloak told Hermione that Harry had moved his position slightly. "There is an easy remedy for that, Hermione, if you think you can do it. His general location will be easy enough to find, just aim for Ginny."

Hermione nodded. "Just tell me when."

"Malfoy! You are a coward, there's no way you are going to hurt Ginny," Harry shouted down the corridor. "You couldn't kill Dumbledore, what makes you think you could kill her?"

"Don't push me, Potter. You think you know everything, but I know something you don't." Draco laughed, pulling Ginny closer to him. "I've grown stronger and have been taught things you could only dream about."

Harry laughed, the sound echoing off the walls. "Stronger, Malfoy? Is that why you're hiding behind a girl?" Another rustle from Harry revealed him to be searching for something. "First Snape, now Ginny. When are you going to show us the brave Slytherin you are claiming to be? We're waiting, coward!"

"Harry! What are you doing?" Ron's tortured voice reached Hermione's ears, making her cringe. "He's going to hurt her?"

"Listen to the Weasel, Potter!" Draco called. "You want Red's blood on your hands."

Harry ignored Draco and called over to Ron, his voice sounding amused. "Don't worry, Ron. Malfoy couldn't hurt a fly."

"I'm warning you, Potter!"

"I'm tired of your warnings, Malfoy. It's time to see some action."

Suddenly and without warning, Draco's blonde head appeared behind Ginny, having revealed himself to the others. Hermione gasped as she saw Draco's wand pointed at Ginny's head. Her own was raised ready for Harry's signal.

Draco's eyes flashed a shade of silver. "Now who's the coward, Potter! Show yourself, and the Mudblood who's propping up your side." He sneered. "Did you think I couldn't smell your stench, Granger?"

"Harry, what are you doing?" Ron screamed, growing more agitated by the second. "Have you gone mad?"

"Shut up, Ron!" Hermione shouted, finally revealing her presence.

Draco laughed, once more pulling Ginny closer to him as he edged further into the shadows, moving nearer to the exit. "Do as the Mudblood says, Weasel, we all know which one wears the trousers in your relationship."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Ron growled.

With a flick of her wrist, no longer waiting for Harry's say so, Hermione incanted the spell, bringing Harry, Ron and Hermione into view. Ron revealed to be standing with his wand raise and pointing at Draco, who had managed to crouch even further behind Ginny.

"Let her go!" Ron screamed, his face showing red in the slowly lightening hallway.

"Don't worry, Ron, she's safe with Draco. He won't hurt her!" Harry said, his wand barely pointing away from the ground. "You couldn't leave her with a less dangerous person." He just managed to duck from the flash of yellow that shot up the corridor towards him.

"You are going to push him too far, Harry," Hermione whispered, her eyes wide.

Harry grinned. "That's what I'm trying to do."

"What?"

Keeping his gaze on Draco, Harry began to raise his wand, ready to finish what was started. "He'll lose his temper and then he'll make a mistake, it's his way."

"Harry, that's Ginny over there." Hermione explained, as if Harry had suddenly forgotten.

"Yeah, and right behind them is the way out, you want him to get through the door?" Harry sighed with frustration. "We have to get him to let go of Ginny then we'll have a clear shot of him, and we don't have much time."

"Malfoy, please, just let her go," Ron's voice suddenly reached their ears, interrupting their conversation. They both turned to see the red haired wizard take a step towards Draco and his captive. "You don't need her. If you let her go, I'll help you."

"Ron, no!" Harry and Hermione chorused together.

Draco laughed, this time more with amusement than malice. "You'll help me, will you, Weasel?" He turned his head towards Harry and Hermione, barely visible in his hiding place. "Do you hear that? Your so-called friend is turning on you for his sister, Potter. How do you feel?"

"Shut up, Malfoy! Do you want my help or not?"

Hermione took a step forward, but Harry's hand stilled her movements, as it rested on her wand arm. "Harry, do something."

"You won't get far, Malfoy," Harry declared, his voice remaining even and strong, totally in command of himself. "If you get out, you'll never leave Hogsmeade before I strike you down."

A faint click seemed to ring out through the hall, causing Hermione and Harry to look at each other with fear. Ron took a step forward making a grab for Ginny, as Harry and Hermione raced up the corridor, both their wands raised in readiness. A creak revealed their darkest fears, as the sound of the secret door opening filled the corridor, like a scream of doom.

"Don't let him get out!" Harry cried at Ron. "Stop him!"

Ron took another step forward, when things suddenly turned into chaos. As Ron neared the captive and her captor, Draco pushed the flailing Ginny away from him, sending her crashing into Ron, sending them both flying onto the ground in a tangle of limbs. Unfortunately their landing spot, was right in the path of the other two students as they raced up the corridor, almost skidding to a halt as they helped Ron and Ginny from the floor.

"Come on!" Harry screamed. "He mustn't leave the tunnel."

Ron was already on his feet, brushing himself down, and Ginny was looking around her, still bewildered by the ordeal. Hermione looked over at the young witch, before following behind Harry who had disappeared through the secret door, and was sprinting after the fleeing Draco.

"Get back to the common room, I'll get you when this is over," Ron's voice could be heard in the corridor behind. What Ginny replied was lost in the echo of footsteps down the tunnel.

"Harry, stop!" Hermione screamed, while continuing to chase the rapidly moving dark haired wizard. "Harry!"

Up ahead of her, she could see a flood of light, revealing the steadily approaching dawn. She could see the shape of Harry and Draco, as they neared the exit to Hogsmeade. The two jiggling shapes seemed to sweep from one side of the tunnel to the other, as they raced on and on.

Suddenly the tunnel was flooded with brightness, as Draco reached the end, and pushed open the door. The early rays of morning, stretched into the tunnel entrance like fingers, trying to grab away the darkness. Beyond the light there was nothing but white, the contrast from the dark tunnel making it hard to see past the circle of light.

Behind her, Hermione could hear the steady footsteps of Ron, growing closer and closer as he caught up to her, at the same time the sound of Harry's shoes against the stones was growing fainter.

"Harry!"

The wizard broke through the circle, disappearing from her view, filling her body with a fear that she had not felt before. In her mind she could see Harry's face, his eyes gazing up at her. Her lips tingled with the lasting reminder of his kiss, her cheeks flushed and warm. She broke from the darkness into the light, as around her the sky erupted into a firework display. Surrounding them were a host of familiar and unfamiliar shapes, one standing out more than the rest.

They had run, before they had thought, and with their wands raised, Harry and Hermione barely managed to ward off a couple of shots, when her vision filled with green. Before her, in slow motion, the sky exploded around them, turning the colour of blood. The thud of a body hitting the ground filled her eyes, before pain shot through her body. Her eyes looked towards the sky, as the image of Professor Stygian appeared in the clouds, frowning as her mouth moved in silent words. Before everything went black…

>>>> 

"No!"


	21. Chapter 21: Dreams or Divination

**Chapter 21**

**Dreams or Divinations**

The darkness seemed to wrap around like a cloak, barring even the tiniest light to come through. In only a moment, the edging seemed to part, and a finger of light crept into the room, the moon's touch bringing a much needed glimmer. A chill hung heavy in the air, grabbing at flesh like Death's hand. The soft rustle of material as one of the mounds moved was fighting to be heard over the rapid, deep breaths that filled the room now that the haunted cry had faded.

Hermione sat up in bed, her covers wrapped around her, shielding her from the cold of night. Her fingers lightly brushed against her brow, feeling the cool traces of sweat that had broken out upon her skin. In her mind, visions flashed over and over, until they eventually subsided and her thoughts were brought back around to where she was.

For a moment, her eyes flicked around, trying to make out the shapes around her. Her fingers brushed against the material on her bed, realising that she was not lying upon the hard ground, which was the last thing she had remembered seeing as she fell to the floor. She shook her head, trying unsuccessfully to push the feeling of dread from her mind. She could finally see that she was safely wrapped up in her bed at Hogwarts, surrounded by everything that greeted her every morning, normally with a little more light, but there had been occasions when she had dreamed bad dreams and they had woken her.

She shivered, as once more the face of Harry Potter came before her, so vivid that she could have touched his face and brushed away that strand of hair that seemed to always bother her so much. The scar on his forehead burned clearly before her and as usual she could see the anguish in his green eyes. She blinked away the image, needing a clear mind to prepare once more for sleep.

Sitting still for a moment, Hermione listened to the sounds around her, trying to remove the feelings that threatened to send tears rolling down her face. Her body shook softly, as her fears were pushed behind her and the images that had haunted her sleep were lost in the darkness of the night. She looked back at her pillow, ready to lie down again, but the image of Harry followed by a darkening around her filled her mind and she sat bolt upright again.

She turned, placing her feet on the ground beside the bed, feeling a chill race up her leg. Her foot searched the floor for her slipper, finding both quickly. Standing up, she reached over to the end of her bed and grabbed her robe, pulling it tightly around her body before her hand took hold of her wand.

The night remained quiet, the others in the room not moved by her cry, which made Hermione feel a little relieved. She was not ready to discuss what had caused her to wake in such a dramatic fashion. How could she explain to everyone that she had just dreamt of the death of Harry Potter?

She began walking down the stairs, listening for sounds of disturbance, as she headed towards to the common room. She paused for a moment, unable to continue. Thoughts of Harry once more filled her mind, but not as she had seen him in her dream. Not dead or dying, but alive and sitting in his pyjamas, wrapped in the warm orange glow of the fire. She frowned, wondering why such an image had come to her. Of course, she had seen him in such a position before, she had sat with him in the early hours of the morning during their time together at Hogwarts, but this seemed different, like it had happened and yet had not happened.

"Hermione, you are being silly," she said to herself, her voice low enough not to echo back up the stairs.

Taking another couple of steps, she paused again, almost as if blocked by some obstacle before her, as once more the image of Harry's face appeared, looking up at her from one of the chairs beside the fire. He looked concerned and agitated, but most worryingly afraid.

Inhaling sharply, she continued down towards the common room, berating herself silently for becoming so wrapped up in her nightmare. She took the final step, her foot about to touch the ground, when a sound from across the common room made her freeze on the spot. She watched from her position by the stairs, as the fireplace burst into life. Her gaze was entranced by the dancing orange glow, until her eyes moved slightly towards one of the chairs, where an elbow could be seen resting on the armrest.

"Harry, what are you doing awake?" Hermione asked, taking a couple of steps over to the fire. From behind the back of the chair, the silhouetted head of Harry Potter appeared, recognisable instantly to the young witch.

"Hermione?" Harry rose from his chair, his whole body now visible, as he stood before the orange, dancing flames.

Hermione smiled, relief flooding her body as she raced over to where her friend stood, wrapping her arms around him. "Oh, Harry." Her voice quivered with happiness, as the last remnant of her dream vanished.

"Whoa, Hermione, what's all this for?" Harry asked, as he wrapped her in his embrace, holding her close.

"I…ah…" Hermione looked up into Harry's face, smiling awkwardly as she pried herself from his arms. "I couldn't sleep, and I'm…" She paused, unable to put into words how happy she was to see him alive and well and not lying dead on the ground. Not that she remembered much more than that, as she recalled a flash just before darkness descended upon her, just before she awoke to find herself safely wrapped up in her bed.

Harry grinned at Hermione, looking oddly smug about her discomfort, and pointed to the other chair, opposite the one he had just vacated. "I couldn't sleep either." He sighed as he lowered himself down into the seat. "It's not been the…"

"I know, it's not been the same here since Dumbledore died," Hermione said at exactly the same time, as she took her own seat, earning herself an odd stare from Harry. "What's the matter?"

"You just took the exact words out of my head," Harry grinned, as he sat back in the chair. "I mean, word for word. And you knew it was me down here before you could have seen me." He paused, giving her another strange look, which turned into sudden realisation. "You've been practicing Divination, haven't you?"

"Don't be silly, Harry, you know I don't like Divination," Hermione replied quickly. "It just felt like it was you in the chair. And…" She paused in thought for a moment, recalling the images she had seen as she had walked down the stairs. She had seen Harry sitting in the common room, had felt that he would be there when she entered the room. Things seemed new and yet familiar.

"What is it, 'Mione?" Harry asked, leaning forward in his chair, his face grave, full of concern and agitation.

Hermione stared at Harry, her eyes fixed to his face. "Harry, do you really think people can see things before they happen?"

Harry nodded, his brow creasing. "Yes, I do. Given the right motivation and circumstances, I'm sure that people can see things. Look at Madam Trelawney, she swears that she can see things, so why shouldn't other people?" He looked at Hermione, puzzled. "Why? Have you seen something?"

Shaking her head, Hermione laughed. "No, of course not." She sat back in her chair, letting out a large sigh. "You know how bad I am at Divination."

Harry nodded, his expression not growing any more comfortable with the situation. "That doesn't mean you couldn't see something now. What is it, Hermione? You know you can talk to me."

Hermione smiled, as she turned towards the fire, losing her thoughts in the orange flames that continued to dance around, undisturbed by things happening around them. "I knew you'd be here."

"What?" Harry asked, looking at her expectantly. "You got up because you knew I would be here in the common room?"

Hermione turned back to Harry, finding his eyes with her gaze. "No, I didn't get up for that, but I knew I would see you down here, as I was walking down the stairs, I could see you looking at me from that chair."

Harry clapped his hands and grinned. "Hermione has finally learnt Divination." He sat back in his chair and pulled his robes around him. "And her first vision was of me. I'm honoured."

Letting out a huff, Hermione shook her head. "I'm glad I've cheered you up, Harry." She got up from her chair, just as Harry's hand clasped her wrist.

"Please don't go, Hermione," Harry looked up at Hermione; her eyes were wide as she stared down at him, seeing the pain buried behind his gaze. He loosened his hold on her arm, and sat back in the chair, bowing his head.

Hermione turned and retook her seat, her eyes never leaving Harry. "I'm sorry." She frowned, annoyed with herself for causing Harry to become so dejected. "I know you are finding it hard settling back in, Harry. We knew it wouldn't be easy without Professor Dumbledore here to…" She let the words hang in the air, not needing to finish.

Harry let out a sigh, as he raised his head, his eyes meeting Hermione's. She could see the anguish inside him, could see how hard coming back to Hogwart's had been. "What are we going to do without him, Hermione? He knew what we had to do. He knew everything." He paused, as Hermione watched him search inside himself. "How can I do this without him? I don't even know where to start."

"We are here for you," Hermione smiled, trying to ease the situation. As she leant forward, she reached out to take Harry's hand, stopping before she reached it, afraid that he would pull away from her. "Harry?"

Harry rose from his chair. "I don't want your help. I've lost too many…"

Standing, Hermione walked over to Harry and placed her hand tentatively on his shoulder. "You aren't going to lose us."

She fell silent, once more images swimming in her vision, scenes of Harry, and scenes of Ron. So much pain and suffering and dying. Her head swam as she tried to push them away. The images changed and yet the ending remained the same, always the same. Harry, Ron and her fighting and losing. Fighting and paying the ultimate price for their failure. She watched as image after image flowed past her eyes, spelling out their death and destruction.

Her fingers slipped off Harry's shoulder, as she turned away, her hands moving up to her face, trying to block out the images. Harry's hand gently brushed over her arm, stopping her from looking completely away.

"Hermione, what is it?"

Hermione lowered her hand, looking at Harry, tears prickling at her eyes. "Harry, how cope with dreams that do not go even when you are awake?"

"You had a nightmare?" Harry asked, his arm slinking behind Hermione, holding her close to him.

Hermione nodded, unable to speak as she felt the tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. She felt Harry gently stroke her hair, his touch light and soothing. Her head rested on his shoulder, her body shaking with tears.

"Hermione, nightmares have a habit of lingering, just to make them seem even more horrid than when you first had it." Harry's voice was low and calming. "I've had bad dreams and they do go eventually, even if it feels like it won't at the time. I wish you had said something, Hermione. You really don't have to hide these things from me."

Looking up, Hermione found Harry's face, as her hands brushed against her eyes, wiping away her tears. "Thank you, Harry."

"Would you like to talk about it?" Harry asked, releasing his hold on her slightly, but not letting her go.

Hermione shook her head. "I just…I just keep seeing things, over and over again, and they won't go away."

Harry smiled. "Nightmares always go away quicker if you have your mind occupied, unless you want to go back to sleep, that is?"

Shaking her head, Hermione smiled. "No, I don't want to go. I don't think I could sleep even if I did go."

"Neither could I." Harry left his hand around her shoulders, as he guided her back to the chair, easing her into the seat.

Hermione looked up at Harry, her tear stained cheeks and eyes glistening in the firelight. "We could use the time researching the Horcruxes, if you are willing to let me help you."

Nodding, Harry smiled, retaking his chair. "When have I ever turned down your help?" Hermione opened her mouth to answer, but Harry cut her off. "Okay, okay, but not this time."

Hermione pulled out her wand and aimed it at a pile of books and parchment. "Accio," she cried, before the items began to move towards them.

"Where should we start?" Harry asked, ready to grab the books as they arrived.

"That's easy," Hermione smiled, feeling suddenly much better and more her old self. "At the beginning."

>>> 

As dawn broke and the common room came to life, Harry and Hermione were woken up by a very confused Ron, who was trying to understand why he had found his two best friends fast asleep in chairs. Following a very brief discussion that revealed nothing, the three friends made their way to breakfast in the Great Hall, as they had done for the previous fourteen mornings. Harry and Hermione joined Ron at their table and watched those around them, noting the empty chairs where friends and enemies once sat.

Breakfast turned out to be very hectic, and Hermione once more found herself to be the object of fascination for Harry as she once more predicted an event before it happened. Harry and Hermione had just finished filling their plates when the conversation had turned to Hagrid, who was sitting in his usual seat at the head of the hall, looking more miserable than the three could ever remember ever seeing him. It was not hard for any of them to work out the cause, they all knew how much Hagrid respected Dumbledore, and his death and that of Aragog was playing heavily on the half giant.

"Hagrid looks terrible," Hermione stated as she finished chewing a mouthful of food. "We really need to cheer him up."

Ron turned and looked at Hagrid. "Losing Dumbledore and Aragog have hit him…" He never finished before Hermione cut him off.

"Speak to him, Harry, before he leaves," Hermione grabbed at Harry's arm.

"He's not leaving, Hermione," Harry stated, looking at Hagrid as he continued to play with his food. "He's eating…"

"Harry, now, please." Hermione tugged at his arm.

Harry and Ron both stared at Hermione, but it was Harry who spoke. "What has got into you today? Is this related to your dream or something?"

"Dream?" Ron looked puzzled. "What dream?"

"It has nothing to do with my dream; I'm just worried about Hagrid." Hermione let go of Harry's arm, as they others around the table began to stare at her.

Harry turned towards the large table at the end of the room, noticing that the object of their discussion had gone. "He's left."

"What?" Hermione turned to where Hagrid was sitting only moments before, managing to catch sight of him as he left the room, his huge bulky form disappearing through the main doors.

"Do you want to explain what this is about, Hermione?" Harry asked, looking at her with confusion written on his face. "Why the sudden interest in Hagrid's wellbeing?"

Hermione turned back to her two friends, not surprised to see both of them staring at her as if she had just grown a second head or turned green or something equally as surprising. "I'm just worried about him, Harry. I don't know why, but I feel we've been ignoring him when he needs us."

"We have a lot on our plate at the moment," Ron pointed out, as he ironically prodded the last morsel of his breakfast with his fork. "What with the Hor…"

"Sshhh, not here." Harry retorted, his attention momentarily focused on Ron. "That's a discussion for another time." He turned back to Hermione, looking at her questioningly. "Now, are you ready to explain exactly what is going on here, Hermione? You have been acting very strange all day."

Hermione shook her head. "Later, I promise." She got up from her seat and smiled at her two friends, hoping to convey a sense of calm. "I've got to get to class; I'll catch up with you later."

Without uttering another word, Hermione moved away from the table, turning back to see Harry and Ron huddled together, obviously using her as the main topic of conversation. She shook her head, trying to make sense of everything that was happening around her. She felt like a fish out of water, confused and with no idea why.

She had barely made it to the bottom of the stairs when she heard footsteps approaching her. It was easy for her to work out who it would be, as during breakfast she had seen the owner of the footsteps gazing at Harry. She frowned, really not in the mood to face that particular problem.

"Hey, Ginny," Hermione greeted the younger witch as she turned.

"Hermione," Ginny smiled in return, her eyes briefly flicking back to the main door of the Great Hall, making sure certain people were not following. "How's Harry?"

The older witch shrugged. "I think he needs some space." She paused for a moment, stunned into silence by the look on Ginny's face. "He's…um…he's having a rough time, what with Dumbledore's death and everything else that's happened."

"I can't stop thinking about him, Hermione, and I wish there was something I could do. I want to help him." Ginny frowned. "But he won't even talk to me."

Hermione sighed, wishing that these kinds of problems would disappear. She knew it had been hard on Ginny since Harry had broken up with her at the end of the previous school year, and he needed the hassle even less. "Look, just give him time and I'm sure he will come around. Just go easy on him, Ginny."

"I just want to help," Ginny replied, her voice managing to turn the words into pleading.

"I have to get to class, we'll talk later." Hermione smiled sadly, wishing she could have found the words to politely tell Ginny that she would have to deal with this on her own, but the young woman was a friend and friends in need should never be left on their own.

Hermione watched as Ginny turned and walked away, catching the relieved look upon her face. Hermione, on the other hand, felt more wound up than she had all day. She headed off to her first class hoping that the rest of the day would turn out better.

>>> 

Unfortunately, the rest of the day did not turn out well. She returned to the common room to find Harry and Ron discussing her and her nightmare. And worse, they had continued to question her and question her until she finally told them what she had seen in her dream, which managed to silence them both. Harry had gone deadly silent, his face looking horrified. It had taken her a moment to convince the two that she had not been having psychic visions of the future, but the look in Harry's eyes did not leave her feeling very successful in her endeavour.

The three remained silent for the rest of the period they spent in the common room. Hermione would look up from her book and catch Harry staring at her oddly. She wanted to say something, wanted to tell him that it was merely a dream, but there was an odd feeling inside that made her wonder herself. As she sat reading her book, her eyes lost focus on the words before her, and images once more swam in front of her eyes, Harry, Ron, Voldemort, and a stranger staring at her, out of focus but there as her vision grew black.

>>> 

"Give her some room," a strong commanding voice filled her ears, as she blinked herself awake, the Dark Arts room coming into focus. "Help Miss Granger up, Mr Potter. You too, Mr Weasley. That's it, get her onto the stool."

Hermione looked first to her left and then her right, spotting the familiar yet concerned faces of Harry and Ron as they aided her to her feet. She blinked rapidly, her mind whirling as she tried to remember what had happened. The last thing she could recall was taking down a note on her parchment, before darkness had descended.

"Are you alright, Miss Granger?" The face of Professor Stygian appeared before her, causing her to shiver involuntarily. "Did you hurt anything when you fell?" Hermione shook her head, trying to focus on everything that was happening around her. "You'd better take her to see Madam Pomfrey, Mr Potter."

Hermione looked at Harry and then turned to Ron, who seemed to be frowning heavily, annoyed that he had not been asked to escort Hermione to the hospital wing. "I'm fine, Professor Stygian," Hermione stated as she tried to free herself from the hold of her two friends. "I don't need medical attention."

"I really think you should have yourself checked over, Miss Granger, I would not be pleased for one of my students to fall ill because of my class. I am sure Mr Potter would be most willing to see you there safely," the professor encouraged, but after a quick look at Ron, Hermione shook her head indicating that she was not willing to go. "In that case, we'll continue." She turned back to the front of the class, leaving Harry and Ron to stare at Hermione oddly.

The class fell back into its routine and finished the lesson for the day, although Hermione had trouble focusing on everything that Professor Stygian was saying. She could not shake the strange sensation that something was prodding at the edge of her memory, something important. It also did not help that she could not stop thinking about the cause of the faint. She had been perfectly fine up until that moment and then she could remember nothing, other than the face of the professor. The woman's eyes had a strange boring quality that seemed to look inside a person, beyond the mere flesh.

Lost totally in her thoughts, Hermione did not notice that the end of the class had been called, and it was only thanks to a gentle touch of Harry's that Hermione was not left sitting in the classroom once everyone else had gone. Quickly gathering her things together, she moved over to the door, following Harry and Ron, who were both oddly silent, instead of involving themselves in a conversation about the amount of work they had before them.

"Miss Granger."

Hermione paused as she reached the door, turning around to face the professor, who had called her name. "I trust that you are feeling better now?" Hermione nodded. "That is good. You really should have gone to see Madam Pomfrey, if for nothing more than the air. Friends always think that they have your best interests in mind, but sometimes they are misguided, and it is those that see things from a different perspective that can be the best judge of what is right and what is not."

Hermione stared, trying to fathom what exactly the professor was getting at, but there was something in the way she spoke that made the young witch wonder if there was more than she thought. "I will remember that, Professor Stygian."

The professor smiled. "Your friends are waiting for you; you'd better not let them begin to worry."

Hermione nodded and returned the woman's smile, feeling a shiver run over her body. The death head's smile vanished, and the older witch turned and walked back over to her desk. Hermione had disappeared through the door before she had made it halfway across the room.

"What did she want?" Ron asked as soon as Hermione had appeared at the door.

Hermione smiled, as she reached her two friends. "Nothing, she just wanted to make sure I was all right." She fell silent, wanting that to be an end of the subject. She needed to clear her mind, needed to sort out the whirl that was going on inside her head.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked after they had gone a couple of steps down the corridor.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."

"It was strange you fainting like that," Ron added, not letting the subject drop.

Shrugging her shoulders, Hermione continued walking back towards the Gryffindor common room. "I think I just got a little hot." She laughed lightly, trying to ease everyone's mind. "You know how Dark Arts does that sometimes, it all becomes a little oppressive in that room."

"Especially with Stygian's stare. I swear she could kill with that stare alone," Ron grimaced, shaking his body in mock fear.

Harry grinned. "We could send her after Voldemort with that look, I don't think even the Dark Lord could withstand it."

Hermione stopped walking, her gaze no longer focused on the corridor ahead, but once more the image of the professor came to her. There gazing into her face, before she slowly seemed to get further and further away, almost disappearing into the distance, before her image became fogged out, almost like a cloud.

"Hermione, what is it?" Harry asked, his hand resting on her shoulder.

Hermione shook the vision from her mind. "Harry, did Professor Stygian do something in the lesson? Did she appear to perform some kind of magic during the class, other than what she was teaching?"

Harry frowned. "No, no I don't think so." He looked at Ron, the crease in his brow deepening. "Did you see anything, Ron?"

The red haired wizard looked blankly between Harry and Hermione. "No, no she didn't do anything. She merely looked in your direction and then raced over to you once you fell to the ground."

"Why?" Harry asked, his voice sounding puzzled.

"I don't know why, but every time I look at Professor Stygian I get a really bad feeling." Hermione shook her head sadly, rolling her eyes. "I think she was right, I think I should have gone to see Madam Pomfrey. What is the matter with me today? First a bad dream, then I faint and now I have the strangest feeling that something bad is going to happen. I will be glad once today is over and all of this is behind me."

Harry looked at Ron, who returned his gaze before they both turned and faced Hermione. "Are you sure you're alright?" They both asked, almost in unison.

Hermione laughed. "I'm fine, honestly." She started off back down the corridor. "I just need to get my head around some things. Come on, let's go. The quicker we get back to Gryffindor the quicker we can begin the homework we've been set."

Ron groaned. "Yes, there's nothing wrong with Hermione. She's sounding like her normal self already."

Hermione smiled, as the three of them continued towards their common room. The young witch, surrounded by her best friends, used the time to try to remember where she had seen Professor Stygian before.

>>> 

Things began to return to normal, at least normal for the trio, as they settled into completing their school work, as well as striving towards finding the Horcruxes. The days seemed to merge into each other, and they found each one racing onward, giving them little time to get anything done. Harry was finding it the hardest to settle, so keen was he to get on with the task that Dumbledore had set them. But despite all their problems, they managed to keep their spirits up.

Things took a turn for the worse, when the three Hogwarts students paid their first visit to Grimmauld Place, finding nothing to help them with their quest. Harry had been annoyed that they had come back empty handed. There was no sign of the locket or any information about how do destroy a Horcrux. The three had left the house feeling dejected and no closer than they had been before their visit.

All was not bad, or at least, it seemed not that bad, when Hermione and Harry were chosen to be Head Boy and Girl, which gave them more privacy than they had had previously. Hermione took a while to get over the choice that she had made, feeling that she had pushed Ron out of the way for Harry, which made her feel guilty every time she spent time with the red haired boy. This was not so much of a problem when Ron threw himself into Quidditch with a vengeance, but it did mean that she saw little of him, and the time that they shared with each other began to dwindle.

Which, while not the best of situations for their relationship, did help them when it came to dealing with Harry, who always seemed a little uncomfortable whenever Hermione had some time with Ron, and it also made Hermione feel better, as she had always had trouble displaying affection in front of Harry, as she felt that Harry had given up on Ginny just for the sake of the quest for Horcruxes. Harry had sacrificed so much, and it pained Hermione to see him missing what she had with Ron.

Ginny was not helping Hermione with her constant questions about Harry, begging the older witch to help her get Harry back. The more time went on, the more Hermione could understand Harry needing space from Ron's sister. The youngest Weasley did not know the full extent of what lay before Harry Potter, the Chosen One, but Hermione doubted whether anything would have been different even if she did. Having offered to talk to Harry for Ginny, Hermione was left wishing she had made a different decision, as the red head constantly questioned her about her success, and when she was unable to ask, she merely stared.

Things were happening too fast for Hermione, not that they were getting anything done, but time was most certainly not their friend, and it seemed that the year would be over before they had even found the first of the remaining Horcruxes.

>>> 

It was beginning to grow light when the trio returned triumphant from Grimmauld Place and reached the safety of the communal room that Harry and Hermione shared. Pulling off the invisibility cloak with a flourish, Harry grinned and dropped it onto the back of one of the chairs.

"I have to say it. That was a most exceptional night." Harry pulled out the locket from his pocket and looked at the golden oval hanging on the chain, now thoroughly devoid of its former occupant. "I really didn't think we would be able to do it."

Ron walked up to Harry and looked over his shoulder, his eyes fixed to the gleaming locket, which seemed even more alive than it had done. "Who would have thought that something so small could have caused so much trouble?" He turned to Hermione. "Do you think they'll all be like that?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't think they will get any easier, but now we know what is in it, and we know that we can destroy it." Hermione waved her wand at the fire as she drew near and brought it to life with a quick spell. "But we really should not get over confident."

"But we know we can do it. That has to make a difference." Harry moved over to where Hermione was standing, Ron following just behind.

Grinning, Ron lowered himself into one of the chairs with a long drawn out sigh, his gaze flicking between his two friends. "One down. Dumbledore would be proud of you, Harry."

Harry shook his head, his dark mop taking on a life of its own. "Proud of us. I couldn't have done it without the two of you." The smile on his face fell slightly, but his expression remained excited. "I thought I had to do this on my own, but I was wrong. You two are the best friends I could have."

Hermione looked at Harry and smiled, her eyes twinkling with happiness. "We will always be there for you, Harry. Won't we, Ron?"

The youngest Weasley son nodded his head. "You can count on us, Harry."

Their congratulations and elation was brought to an end by the soft chiming of one of the clocks, revealing the lateness of the hour, or more precisely, the closeness of dawn. After a series of goodbyes and further words of congratulation, Ron left the room, hidden from view by the cloak of invisibility. Once he had been gone for a couple of minutes, Harry walked over to Hermione, where she stood still warming herself by the fire.

"I really can't believe we did it," Harry remarked as he opened his hand, once more looking at the locket that lay within. "When that thing rammed into Ron, I thought we were all going to die."

Hermione shivered despite the heat from the fire, her mind once more plagued with visions that chilled her to the bone. She frowned as the images played out before her eyes, haunting her waking moments. As Harry turned towards her, Hermione took a step forward, her arms wrapping around his body, holding him close. She could still see the face of Harry swimming around before her, his face no longer alive, and there before him was Voldemort, bringing forth the stroke of death.

Harry looked down into Hermione's face, watching the tears stream down her cheeks. He gently brushed a couple away and smiled down at her. "Are you alright, Hermione?"

Hermione raised her eyes to his, unable for a moment to speak. "Harry, do you remember I once had a bad dream, one about you being killed by Voldemort?"

Harry nodded, his smile slipping. "Yes, I remember the morning; you woke up and found me in the common room." His expression changed, looking at her questioningly. "That was of last night? Your dream was of last night's battle with Voldemort spirit?"

Shaking her head, Hermione frowned. "No, I…I thought the dreams would go once we destroyed the first Horcrux, but it's still there. I can still see him…see him…"

"Killing me?" Harry asked, his voice quivering slightly.

"He isn't alone, he's with people." Hermione laughed suddenly, the sound not at all joyous. "What am I talking about, Harry? I'm not a seer, I never have been. I'm taking this far too seriously. It was only a bad dream."

Harry nodded. "Yes, it was only a bad dream." He gently stroked her hair, his fingers brushing very lightly. "And it has been a very long night. You need to sleep; you'll feel better in the morning."

Hermione wrapped her arms a little tighter around Harry and smiled. "Thank you, Harry. Most people would think I was going mad or something." She pressed a tender kiss to his cheek, and released her arms from around his body. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Hermione." Harry smiled; his hand falling away from her body, as his other slowly let her hair fall about his fingers. "Have pleasant dreams."

"I will," she replied, her gaze fixed to his, as she stood watching him for a moment. She walked over to her door, placing her hand lightly on the handle. Looking back, she watched as Harry played with the locket that rested in his hand.

"Tomorrow we can begin searching for the next one," she called over to him, smiling as her gaze once more found his.

Nodding his head, Harry gave Hermione a reassuring smile. "And then the fun starts all over again." He wrapped his fingers tightly around the golden oval, and moved over to his bedroom door. "See you in the morning, Hermione."

"Take care, Harry."

Hermione and Harry continued to stare at one another for a moment, not speaking, but sharing silent words, then as if on cue they both turned and entered their rooms.

>>> 

Hermione pulled the covers around her body, forcing the cool air from her skin. She lay gazing at the ceiling, feeling very alone. She was not sure why, but now more than ever she did not want to be by herself. They had been through so much that night; had faced death and had come out the other side alive and closer to destroying Voldemort than they had ever been. They had proven that together, the three of them were able to defeat Voldemort, which could only add to their motivation and determination. And it was true what Harry had said, Dumbledore would have been proud of them.

She turned over, trying to force herself to sleep, knowing that in only a few more hours she would be forced to get back out of bed, and it would be hard to face the day ahead without any sleep at all. A few hours were better than nothing. She listened in the darkness, listening to the creaking of the old building as it rested its aged body, that had echoed the footsteps of the greatest and most evil of wizards and witches.

A gentle whoosh of wind swept around outside, brushing against the building's skin. A clock ticked nearby, echoed by one slightly fainter, the sound reminding Hermione of someone with a limp walking down the corridor. Then the sound grew louder and louder, seeming to stop just outside the door to the communal lounge which lead to the corridor.

Closing her eyes, Hermione felt the pull of sleep on her tired body. As her conscious mind left her in the land of dreams, she seemed to float out across her bedroom, floating ghostlike through the door and into the lounge. Her light as a breeze body moved silently through the darkened room, stopping as she reached the door. A hand not made of flesh, reached for the doorknob, fingers wrapping around the globe, pulling the door open.

The figure remained wrapped in shadows, cloak blowing gently in a non-existent wind. The shape turned, slowly, a strange presence about it, foreboding in its silence. Finally, the ghostly Hermione looked into the eyes of the Death's Head that sneered before vanishing in a puff of green smoke.


End file.
